With the future of his re-election campaign in doubt, President Joe Biden took a step Thursday that was highly unusual for him: He answered a series of questions from reporters at a news conference.
The news conference at the end of this week’s NATO summit in Washington was good for Biden. He spoke for about an hour on various foreign policy, economic and political issues. Some of his foreign policy responses in particular were praised as detailed and substantive.
Now, he referred to “Vice President Trump” at one point when he meant “Vice President Harris.” And at an earlier event he accidentally introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as “President Putin”. But those were simple slips of the tongue and didn’t spark real confusion — Biden talked extensively about the Ukraine/Russia war and Harris’ qualifications.
Biden’s performance wasn’t exactly commanding, but he never seemed as lost or completely out of place as he did on the points of the debate. He’s right.
The question is “just fine” is good enough to turn a tide of Democratic calls for him to step aside.
Biden’s OK press conference came after two very bad days for him — and worse days could come
Just a few days ago, it looked like Biden was about to make a splash with his poor debate performance. But before the press conference on Wednesday and Thursday came several bad news.
Its fundraising Falling. This is what his own campaign aides are telling reporters He should be released. More Democrats came out Publicly being in a race against him, with one going so far like saying He should resign as president. Reports have circulated that the party’s top brass – Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, Sean Fein, president of the United Auto Workers – had less than full support of Biden personally.
Biden’s team announced Plans have been made for presser last week, as part of the president’s strategy to prove his fitness by holding more unscripted public events. Besides that Interview with ABC News Last week and a call-in chat with of MSNBC morning joe Activities, the president called two local radio stations last week. But when the radio interview becomes a problem was reported That the Biden campaign drafted the questions the hosts would ask and that There was a campaign request The two comments that Biden made will be edited.
Then, as NATO’s press conference approaches, leaks suggest that while this is good, it may not help him much. Axios’ Andrew Solander reports That House Democrats were prepared to issue a “flood of new statements urging Joe Biden to drop out of the 2024 race” no matter how the pressure went.
CBS News’ Margaret Brennan said “Dozens” of such statements were expected from lawmakers in a pre-planned coordinated effort, and one source predicted that, by next week, Biden would find it impossible to stay on the ticket.
So far, Biden is unmoved
At the press conference, Biden expressed complete confidence that everything would be fine for his campaign.
Asked whether delegates at the Democratic convention would free him by pledging to support someone else, Biden said such delegates are “free to do whatever they want”. If delegates decide to support someone else at the convention, that would be democracy in action, he said, but “it’s not going to happen.”
Asked what would motivate him to end his campaign, he said he would only do so if his advisers told him “there’s no way you’re going to win.” But, he added, “No one is saying that.”
Other presidents, he asserted, were further behind than he is now. He campaigned hard and turned things around.
“We’re just keeping moving,” he said.
Shortly after the press conference ended, Representative Jim Himes (D-CT) released a statement calling President Biden “an extraordinary leader.”
“I hope so,” Rep. Himes added that he would “withdraw from the presidential campaign.”
Which means, despite the pressure, Thursday ended close to where it began: a deadlock between a party skeptical of its nominee with Democrats and a nominee determined to stay in the running.
