Biden Affirms His Capabilities at Press Conference

President Joe Biden, whose re-election campaign is under threat from his own party, asserted his conviction during a recent press conference that he remains the most viable candidate to overcome Donald Trump.

Despite growing uncertainty in Washington, the 81-year-old President firmly discarded numerous enquiries regarding criticisms from fellow Democrats during his first individual media update since November, suggesting he's not fit enough to campaign and should relinquish his re-election bid.

"Just because I've slowed down doesn't mean I'm not capable of performing my duties, but I'm not seeing any signs saying that I shouldn't be in this position,” he stated, showing no signs of standing down yet.

"I'll continue to press on," Biden added, acknowledging that this apprehension about who tops the ticket isn't extraordinary, and there's still ample time left in the election campaign.

However, the press conference only intensified the ongoing debate about his capacity to continue, highlighting his occasional slips that increased Democrats' concerns. One instance was mistakenly identifying his vice president during the early minutes of the press conference.

“I wouldn't have chosen Vice President Trump,” he quipped.

Biden's struggle seemed evident during the tense broadcast where he repeatedly coughed and cleared his throat. What initially was planned to demonstrate his dominance in international politics began to raise practical questions about his physical and mental strength to handle the job.

The pressure from Democrats and even Congress members for Biden to step down kept building that day. Even senior Biden aides faced an unwelcome response from senators at a political lunch meet. It remains debatable whether Biden's effort could counter opposition cropping up amongst Democrats, particularly with increased numbers wanting him to step down after the conference. Congressman Jim Himes, top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, suggested that Biden should withdraw.

Two weeks ago, a shaky performance during a debate in Atlanta wreaked havoc on Biden's re-election campaign. Worries about Biden's age and fitness, once only murmured, exploded into the public domain, overshadowed his candidacy while many Democrats viewed the night as a critical turning point in their continued support for Biden's candidature.

The press conference was telecast live by all leading networks, emphasizing this crucial stage of his campaign. Some close to Biden thought this might be his final shot at reassuring Democrats and salvage dwindling support.

Biden's strong and unyielding stance was evident throughout the conference. He disputed claims of compromised US position at the NATO summit due to leadership ambiguity. He did admit, however, the need for adjustments to his routine.

Biden stated, "Instead of a packed day starting at 7, extending till midnight, I need to pace things better."

This defensive press event, prominently featuring a sitting president vouching for his own cognitive and physical capabilities while warding off party criticism, was one of a kind. Despite an improved performance compared to Atlanta, it's uncertain whether Biden's campaign can survive this crisis, given faltering finances and sliding popularity polls.

Biden dismissed the idea of stepping down in favour of Vice President Kamala Harris "unless it becomes absolutely untenable to win," and nobody had said anything of the kind yet. Biden reaffirmed his commitment to the job. He stated, "Don't mistake my intention—it's to complete the work I started, not about my legacy."

However, a gaffe occurred just an hour ahead of the scheduled press meet. The President mistakenly referred to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “President Putin” in an event designed to display new initiatives aimed to help Ukraine resist Russian intimidation. The error was swiftly amended.

During the press meet, Biden's voice occasionally waned, possibly due to the demanding schedule of the NATO summit. Nevertheless, he availed the large platform to share his achievements such as managing inflation and progress with the southern border issues.

The President withstood a barrage of queries from 10 reporters for about an hour and even took one last question before leaving. He elaborately explained his foreign policies such as defending Ukraine and competing with China but did not like repeated questions about his well-being and physical strength.

Despite multiple calls to do so, the President insists on remaining in the race. Nevertheless, many Democrats have already urged him to step down, with even more prepared to do the same following the press conference.

After the debate, Biden and his advisors tried to calm jittery Democrats, attributing his subpar performance to a mere off night and not a judgment on his ability to continue. Various reasons were supplied for his display—he had a cold, he over-prepared, he was fatigued from travel. However, these explanations apparently only bolstered Democrats' anxieties.

A set of public events was arranged to demonstrate Biden's alertness and vitality. While there was a better showing at the rally in North Carolina held the day after the debate, his interview with George Stephanopoulos reassured very few.

The clear division within the party came to light when Biden asserted his intention to carry on his campaign. While some Democrats stood firmly with the presumptive nominee, others urged him to resign.

This week began with another public show of force including a letter to House Democrats about his intention to run leaving Biden's team thinking they might have weathered the worst. However, things took a dramatic turn as an avoidance of addressing Biden's candidacy by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and a plea from actor George Clooney to abandon his campaign put additional pressure and led the Democrats to seek a new face.

The spotlight is now firmly on Biden to deliver strong performances at the upcoming press conference and a nationally televised interview scheduled for Monday with NBC's Lester Holt.

Sanya Singh for TROIB News