The New York Times reported on Wednesday that an ally of US President Joe Biden says the president is weighing whether to continue in the election race. The ally spoke to the paper on condition of anonymity. They said Biden knows he may not be able to "salvage his candidacy."

Biden stumbled through a debate last week in Atlanta, Georgia, with former President Donald Trump. He spoke in a raspy voice, at times appearing to lose his train of thought. He acknowledged it wasn't his "best night" and blamed jet lag from travel overseas, including his trip to the Group of 7 summit in Italy. He even admitted he almost "fell asleep on stage."

Still, the person who spoke to the New York Times said Biden understands he must convince the public in the coming days that he is "up for the job" and that he is still "deeply in the fight." The president is scheduled to sit for an interview on Friday with ABC News. He will head on to campaign stops in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters in Washington on Wednesday that Biden is staying in the race. "Anything else that we're hearing or that's being reported is absolutely false," she said.

Polls had suggested voters were worried about Biden's age and health even before the debate. Now, the polls suggest the race is still close but with Trump edging ahead.