The latest on the 2024 campaign | CNN Politics

President Joe Biden called in to MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” Monday as he looks to turn the tide on mounting criticism from members of his own party and do more “off-the-cuff,” unscripted engagements to quell concerns about his age. 

A defiant Biden pledged he wasn’t going anywhere and derided those Democrats calling for him to step down as part of the “elite.”

Biden offered a confusing response to a question about his letter to Hill Democrats calling for unity, lambasting former President Donald Trump for being on the golf course after the debate. Trump has largely stayed under the radar while Biden battles the news cycle. 

“Well, look – Democrats – Joe, let me say it this way, the reason I’ve been on the road so much, all over the country, while Trump is riding around in a golf cart, filling out his golf card before, golf card before he even hits the ball – but anyway, he hasn’t been anywhere in 10 days, I’ve been all over the country No. 1,” he said. 

He continued: “And I’ve gone over a country for several reasons. One, to make sure my instinct was right about the party still wanting me to be the nominee. And all the data, all the data shows that the average Democrat out there who voted, 14 million of them who’ve voted for me, still want me to be the nominee, No. 1.”

The president was also asked to respond to criticism of a response he gave to ABC News Friday to a question about how he’d feel in January if Trump won.

“I’ll feel as long as I gave it my all and I did the good as job as I know I can do, that’s what this is about,” Biden said Friday.

He dismissed the growing concerns from those who have said it was not a satisfactory answer. 

“It’s not an option and I’ve not lost and I haven’t lost. I beat him last time, I beat him this time. Look at his performance at debates,” Biden said. “He’s just a liar, and he hasn’t done a damn thing since the debate.”

Asked how he would reassure voters that he wouldn’t have another night like his performance in the presidential debate, he said, “Look at my career,” adding that he has “not had many of those nights.”