Joe Biden took to the stage at his Thursday night news conference with his presidency, re-election hopes, and political future on the line.
Despite the high stakes, he barely acknowledged them during the hour-long session marking the end of a NATO summit. Earlier, he had introduced Ukraine’s President Zelensky as “President Putin” at a separate event.
The news conference was his first unscripted appearance since a disastrous debate with Donald Trump, which led several Democratic politicians and donors to call for him to drop out of the race.
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At 81, Biden faces continuous questions about his age and ability to serve another term, concerns that intensified after the debate. Nonetheless, he dismissed these worries during the press conference, reiterating that he is fighting not for his legacy but to finish the job he started in 2021. “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.”
The news conference’s tone was a mix of determination and possible denial of the dire situation he faces. Shortly after it concluded, several more Democratic members of Congress publicly urged Biden to step down, joining at least a dozen other lawmakers from his own party who have done so. The critical question for Biden’s campaign is whether this will trigger a broader exodus or if the pressure will stabilize.
The situation was compounded by two notable gaffes that viewers are unlikely to forget. In his first answer, he mistakenly referred to his Vice-President Kamala Harris as “Vice-President Trump,” a significant blunder in front of a national audience. This followed another major error at a NATO event where he called Ukrainian President Zelensky “President Putin,” causing audible gasps from the audience. He corrected the first mistake quickly but missed the second, despite the murmurs of surprise from reporters and the stony silence of his top Cabinet secretaries.
These moments, the only significant stumbles in an otherwise steady appearance, are likely to fuel concerns among nervous Democrats about potential future gaffes if Biden continues his campaign. Despite this, Biden seemed resolute, laughing and smiling as he fielded questions. He asserted his ability to keep up with world leaders like Russia’s Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping, even as the hoarseness and cough from his earlier debate lingered.
Biden reiterated that he didn’t need cognitive tests, stating that seeing “two doctors or seven” wouldn’t satisfy his critics. He emphasized that the election campaign had only just begun and expressed confidence in defeating Donald Trump in November. He told the Democratic delegates who will officially back him at next month’s convention that they were free to change their minds but mockingly whispered, “It’s not going to happen.”
He mentioned he would consider stepping aside if his staff provided data showing he couldn’t win, but current polls still indicate a tight race. An Ipsos survey released earlier on Thursday had Biden only one point behind his opponent, within the margin of error. Support for both candidates has remained stable despite the unprecedented drama surrounding them.
However, polling alone won’t calm the panic among many Democratic officials, and the storm clouds over Biden’s campaign remain. Reports suggest more Democratic politicians are ready to announce their break with Biden, having waited until the NATO summit concluded to voice their concerns.
This is just the beginning of a series of tests for the embattled president. He has another high-profile interview with NBC’s Lester Holt on Monday. Donors are anxious, and reports indicate even some within his campaign are exploring ways to ease him out of the race. Despite all this, Biden made it clear that removing him from the nomination will be difficult. The 81-year-old, who at times clung to the lectern with both hands and insisted he was the “best-qualified person” to run the country, is not going to exit the stage quietly.
