CNN’s Phil Mattingly grilled White House aide Ian Sams on Wednesday about a Washington Post op-ed calling for President Joe Biden to step down from his re-election bid.

David Ignatius published an op-ed arguing Biden should step aside for 2024 given recent polls indicating Americans are both concerned with and dissatisfied by Biden. Ignatius also calls for Vice President Kamala Harris to step down, arguing she has been unable to sell herself to the voters.

Mattingly referenced the op-ed just before the interview with Sams ended.

“You know, one thing, and this will be my last one. A lot of people in Washington right now, and I know this is probably going to drive your team crazy that I ask it this way, but I think it matters because it’s accurate because the columnist who wrote a piece today asking for the president not to seek reelection, David Ignatius, as well respected within the building behind you. What’s your response to that idea? It’s not just about the president but also about the vice president who you worked for in the 2020 campaign,” Mattingly said. (RELATED: CNN Analyst Warns Biden-Trump Polls Are ‘Vastly Different’ From 2020 Election)

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“You know, I’m governed by the Hatch Act, and I want to be really careful. But obviously, the president has announced he’s running for reelection and the president is going to make his case to the American people. And I’ll refer you to the campaign for any sort of campaign questions. But this president has a lot to be proud of and a lot to run on,” Same argued.

“He’s delivered some of the most consequential achievements and economic progress in generations with the Inflation Reduction Act, the infrastructure bill, the CHIPS bill, which is opening new factories and creating new manufacturing jobs around the country. That’s what he’s going to be talking about versus these sort of political sideshows that congressional Republicans are starting to launch into right now.”

“Any expectation he’ll weigh in on this specifically any time soon?” Mattingly asked.

“Well, you know, the president can speak for himself. I will say I think he’s going to stay focused on what the American people want him to focus on, which is helping to improve them, their lives, their families, not these sort of political attacks on him and his family.”

A recent CNN poll found 47% of voters would vote for former President Donald Trump if the election were held today, compared to just 46% who said they’d vote for Biden. The poll also found 46% of voters would choose any Republican candidate over Biden and 58% of voters blame Biden’s policies for worsened economic conditions.

A Wall Street Journal poll had similar results, with Trump leading Biden by 11 points on the question of who had a better record. Biden lagged 10 points behind Trump in perceived mental fitness.