President Joe Biden reaffirmed his commitment to defeating Republican rival Donald Trump in the upcoming November presidential election, despite concerns raised by his recent debate performance. Speaking at a rally on Friday, Biden made it clear he has no intention of stepping down from the race.
“I know I’m not a young man, to state the obvious,” an energized Biden said, addressing supporters one day after his head-to-head debate with Trump. The debate, widely perceived as a poor showing for the 81-year-old president, has sparked worries among Democrats about his ability to secure a second term. Nevertheless, Biden remained resolute. “I don’t walk as easy as I used to, I don’t speak as smoothly as I used to, I don’t debate as well as I used to,” he acknowledged, as the crowd chanted “four more years.” He continued, “I would not be running again if I didn’t believe with all my heart and soul that I could do this job. The stakes are too high.”
The president’s verbal missteps and occasionally rambling responses during the debate have intensified voter concerns about his fitness for another term, leading some Democrats to question if they should consider an alternative candidate for the November 5 election. However, campaign spokesperson Michael Tyler dismissed these concerns, stating, “We’d rather have one bad night than a candidate with a bad vision for where he wants to take the country.” Tyler also confirmed that there were no discussions about replacing Biden.
In an effort to reassure campaign staff, an “all hands on deck” meeting was held on Friday afternoon, according to insiders. Despite Trump’s continued dissemination of falsehoods during the debate, post-debate focus remained on Biden, particularly among Democrats.
Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic leader in the U.S. House of Representatives, was evasive when questioned about his confidence in Biden’s candidacy. “I support the ticket. I support the Senate Democratic majority. We’re going to do everything possible to take back the House in November,” he told reporters. Other Democrats, such as Senator Jack Reed, also sidestepped direct questions about Biden’s future in the race.
Meanwhile, prominent figures within the party, including former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, publicly supported Biden. Obama took to social media to remind voters of the broader stakes, writing, “Bad debate nights happen. Trust me, I know. But this election is still a choice between someone who has fought for ordinary folks his entire life and somebody who only cares about himself.”
Contrastingly, The New York Times editorial board, which endorsed Biden in 2020, suggested it might be in the Democratic Party’s best interest for Biden to withdraw, stating, “The greatest public service Mr. Biden can now perform is to announce that he will not continue to run for re-election.”
Despite the debate fallout, Biden’s campaign reported raising $14 million over Thursday and Friday, with a record fundraising hour immediately following the debate. In comparison, Trump’s campaign raised $8 million on the night of the debate.
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