Joe Biden’s recent press conference, where he reaffirmed his intention to continue his presidential campaign, has failed to quell dissent within his own party. Three Democratic leaders have now joined others in urging Biden to withdraw from the race.
Calls for the 81-year-old to step aside have intensified since his uneven performance in a televised debate against Republican Donald Trump last month.
During a lengthy briefing on Thursday night, Biden appeared more composed and articulate, but there were notable slip-ups. In one instance, he mistakenly referred to his vice president, Kamala Harris, as “Vice President Trump,” and earlier in the day at a NATO event, he initially referred to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky as “President Putin” before correcting himself.
Despite his efforts, doubts persist about Biden’s candidature, compounded by potential defections in the coming days. Several donors, including actor George Clooney, have withdrawn their financial support, questioning his competence for another term.
A Democratic fundraiser, speaking to the BBC, acknowledged Biden’s adequate performance at the conference but noted it wasn’t enough to sway sceptics within the party.
Looking ahead, Biden faces relentless scrutiny at every public appearance. Any misstep is seized upon as evidence of his alleged inadequacy to run for re-election. Shortly after the press conference, Connecticut Congressman Jim Himes praised Biden’s public service record but urged him to step aside from the campaign.
The strongest candidate to confront the “threat” posed by Trump, he wrote, was no longer Joe Biden.
Illinois congressman Eric Sorensen also posted on social media that Mr Biden ran in 2020 “with the purpose of putting country over party. Today I am asking him to do that again”.
California congressman Scott Peters was the third to speak out, saying the “stakes are high, and we are losing course”.
They bring the tally of Democratic politicians calling on Mr Biden to go to 19.
During the briefing, Biden insisted to reporters that he’s in the race to “complete the job”.
“If I slow down and can’t get the job done, that’s a sign I shouldn’t be doing it,” he said. “But there’s no indication of that yet.”
Many of his supporters in Congress came out immediately after the news conference to echo his belief that he is the best candidate.
“We’ve got to stop the nitpicking and then focus on the work ahead. This guy has done it, he’s done it in the past,” said Democratic National Committee chairman Jaime Harrison.
US allies have voiced their support for President Biden. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer praised Biden’s demeanour during their recent summit meeting, describing him as “very impressive.” French President Emmanuel Macron characterised Biden’s errors as minor slips of the tongue, emphasizing Biden’s command of issues.
Meanwhile, former President Trump took a jab at Biden over his Kamala Harris gaffe, sarcastically commenting, “Great job, Joe!” on Truth Social.