New book reveals what top ex-Biden aide was thinking during disastrous debate

President Joe Biden's former chief of staff and a fixture of his re-election campaign, Ron Klain, privately announced during Biden's disastrous debate performance: "We’re f---ed."

"2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America," a new book released Tuesday by journalists Josh Dawsey of The Wall Street Journal, Tyler Pager of The New York Times and Isaac Arnsdor of The Washington Post, is the latest analysis of how Biden lost the White House. 

The authors described how, during the June 2024 debate, "Biden’s aides winced as the president started answering the first question about the economy and voters who felt they were worse off under his presidency." 

And backstage, as Biden stumbled over an answer that questionably ended with, "We finally beat Medicare," back in the holding room, Klain stood up and announced, "We’re f---ed," according to the authors. 

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President Joe Biden speaks during the consequential debate on June 27, 2024, in Atlanta, Georgia. (Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Mike Donilon, Bruce Reed and Klain were among those leading Biden's final prep ahead of the debate, according to the book. 

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Despite Klain expressing doubt internally, Klain continued to defend the president amid calls from donors and politicians for Biden to step down. 

On June 30, 2024, Klain reshared an X post that urged Americans to ignore the "news reports" with "anonymous sources about Dem donors calling for Biden to withdraw."

"We are the Democratic Party! These people don't get to decide to oust a pro-labor pro-people President," Klain said on July 4, 2024, in response to The New York Times reporting about the Democrats' pressure campaign against Biden. 

Ron Klain, former White House chief of staff, speaks during a transition event in the East Room of the White House on Feb. 1, 2023. (Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

According to the book, after the debate, Klain called Jeff Zients, his successor as Biden's chief of staff, to say he was "disturbed that Biden was planning to spend the weekend at Camp David."

"We have an emergency," Klain told Zients, according to the book. "We have a crisis on Capitol Hill, and the crisis is going to accelerate."

But Zients insisted Biden was going to Camp David to be with his family, instead of Klain's plan to appease the progressive wing of the party with a bold second-term agenda. 

"I have no f---ing clue why he’s going to Camp David this weekend," Klain said, according to the authors. "He needs to be working the phones, day and night."

President Joe Biden speaks to members of the press before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House on Jan. 13, 2024. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

Even before the debate, when concerns about the first octogenarian president's ability to lead the country through a second term came to a boiling point, Klain had concerns, as portrayed in the book. 

Klain had overseen debate prep for every Democratic presidential candidate since 2004, according to the authors. Between Biden's cold, a shorter prep window than usual and staffers privately expressing concern, debate prep in Camp David did not quite go as planned, the authors claimed.

"This is going to be really touch and go in Atlanta," Klain told Donilon and Reed ahead of the debate, according to the book. 

Fox News Digital has written extensively dating back to the 2020 presidential campaign about Biden's cognitive decline and his inner circle’s alleged role in covering it up.

When reached for comment, Klain told Fox News Digital, "I have nothing to add."

Biden did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. 

Deirdre Heavey is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.