Biden tries to ease conservative concerns as Democrats debate his future By Reuters
Written by Steve Holland, Andrea Shalal and Jeff Mason
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Joe Biden was under intense scrutiny during his public appearances on Thursday and over the US holiday weekend, as he resisted pressure to drop his bid for re-election after a nasty confrontation that raised concerns about his strength and sanity.
The 81-year-old Democrat’s shaky showing in a June 27 debate with Republican challenger Donald Trump has raised questions about his ability to continue the tough job over the next 4-1/2 years and is calling for others in his party to step aside.
Vice President Kamala Harris is the leading contender to replace him in the Nov. 5 election if Biden leaves office, sources said, although her allies believe she can ease the concerns of voters and donors.
Biden will host the annual July 4th Independence Day festivities at the White House on Thursday, conduct an interview with ABC News on Friday that will air in full at 8 pm ET (0000 GMT Saturday) and travel to Wisconsin on the same day of the campaign. rally.
A number of House Democrats are watching closely and are ready to ask Biden to step aside if he falters in the ABC debate, a source told Reuters. Democrats see taking control of the House in November as a critical step, as it could be the last chance of power in Washington if Trump returns to the White House and Republicans take control of the Senate.
Biden is facing a new reality since last week’s debate — even if he doesn’t waver verbally or physically, serious concerns about his performance as the nominee are likely to persist. If he says harsh words or looks unfocused or confused, you will face renewed pressure to leave.
If re-elected, Biden will be 86 years old at the end of his second term. He is being asked by his old supporters to step aside to preserve his legacy and reduce the chances of a second Trump presidency. They said that since there are four months left before the election, a decision must be taken soon.
Democrats, including top allies, have left the door open to Harris at the top of the Democratic ticket.
SEE A DOCTOR
The White House has repeatedly said the president was suffering from a cold and jet lag on the night of the debate. On Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden had not had this type of medical examination since his annual physical in February. “He was not examined by a doctor. It’s cold guys. It’s cold,” he said in a press conference.
However, spokesman Andrew Bates said Thursday that Biden saw a doctor after the debate. “After a few days, the president appeared to check his cold and he recovered,” he said.
Trump, 78, who has made numerous false statements on the forum in Atlanta, lied in a video shared on social media that he had kicked Biden out of the race. He made disparaging comments about Harris in the same video, which the Trump campaign owns.
In a radio interview with WURD that aired Thursday morning, Biden talked about his record for black Americans as president. He stuttered from time to time.
Asked if there was any reason for Americans to be concerned after last week’s debate with Trump, Biden declined.
“No, I had a bad debate,” he said, adding that this should not erase what he has done as president for three and a half years.
“The guy I’m running against is a convicted felon, who said he wanted to be a dictator on Day One. It’s not a joke, he said that,” said Biden.
Biden’s standing in opinion polls took a hit after the debate, with surveys by the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal showing Trump opening up a wide lead. A Reuters/Ipsos poll that closed on Tuesday showed the two tied with 40% support among registered voters.
Some 59 percent of Democrats who responded to a Reuters/Ipsos poll said Biden is too old to serve in government, a concern that has been consistently reflected in public opinion polls over the past year.
Biden met with a group of Democratic governors on Wednesday at the White House to make his case. Others told reporters afterward that they stuck with him.
“President Joe Biden is in it to win it,” New York Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul told reporters after the talks.
Democratic Governor Wes Moore said: “We know we have work to do. It’s going to take all of us to make it happen.” Gavin Newsom, the California governor whose name is often floated as an alternative to Biden, said on X, formerly Twitter, that he was “into” Biden.
Raul Grijalva of Arizona called on Biden to drop out of the race while Representative Seth Moulton of Massachusetts called Biden’s age a liability.
“The sad truth is that the current situation may bring President Trump,” Moulton said in a statement. “President Biden will not be small.”
On Sunday, Biden and his wife Jill will address thousands of the National Education Association in Pennsylvania. Next week he will host a host of world leaders at a NATO summit in Washington, and hold a rare solo news conference.
