US election campaign - After Biden's TV interview: Doubts about suitability persist
US-President Joe Biden attempted to address concerns about his fitness and suitability for the presidency during a 20-minute TV interview with ABC News, but the doubts persist. "The President is rightly proud of his record," wrote David Axelrod, former chief strategist for ex-President Barack Obama, on the online platform X. "But he is dangerously disconnected from the concerns of the people regarding his abilities and his position in this race."
The interview, intended to limit damage, saw Biden focusing on accomplishments during his tenure, while journalist George Stephanopoulos refused to deviate from the topic of Biden's fundamental qualifications. Political content was not the focus.
At 81, Biden is the oldest US president in history. He reacted defiantly, stating that only God could move him to withdraw. With recent polls showing him losing support, Biden questioned his continuation in the race. He also refused to undergo a cognitive fitness test on multiple requests from Stephanopoulos. Biden also declined to discuss what would happen if confidants warned him that his behavior could negatively impact Democratic majorities in the US Congress. He insisted that everyone was urging him to stay in the race.
Unrest behind the scenes
In November, not only the presidency but also many seats in Congress will be up for grabs. Among Democrats, there is growing anxiety that the Republicans could gain control of both the White House and Congress. Four Democratic representatives in the House have publicly called for Biden to drop out of the race, while two others have expressed doubts about his ability to defeat his Republican challenger, Donald Trump.
Doubts about Biden's qualifications are still being expressed indirectly through US media. Statements from unnamed congressional staffers have been piling up. These messages could grow louder in the coming days - a congressional session is scheduled. Reports suggest that the party is counting on more dissenters.
Senator Mark Warner is reportedly trying to rally a group of Democrats to convince Biden to withdraw. Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is scheduled to hold a meeting with high-ranking Democrats in his chamber tomorrow to discuss the situation.
Public support for Biden, however, is not lacking, with longtime Democratic ally Senator Chris Coons praising Biden's political achievements on X and expressing his eagerness to help him continue the fight against Trump and win in November. Senator John Fetterman also wrote on X, "The Democrats need to show some backbone now. Joe Biden is our man."
Democratic Representative Mike Quigley opposed Senator Fetterman during an interview on CNN, despite Biden's request for withdrawal before broadcast. Quigley stated, "It takes spine to acknowledge that the President of the United States doesn't have the necessary energy to overcome the deficit here, and that this will have consequences for all of us."
Disastrous TV Debate
Approximately one week ago, Biden delivered a disastrous performance during his first televised debate with his Republican opponent Trump. He frequently misspoke and lost the thread. Subsequently, there was a debate in the US about whether Biden is still the right Democratic presidential candidate to defeat Trump again.
Biden has been fighting on all fronts to save his candidacy and has been using numerous campaign rally events. In his TV interview on ABC News, he had no major gaffes or slip-ups, but he sometimes searched for words. According to the broadcaster, the interview was aired uncensored.
Officially, Biden has already secured the Democratic Party's nomination for presidency - he is expected to be endorsed at the Democratic Party convention, which takes place from August 19-22 in Chicago. In the primaries, the US President collected the necessary delegate votes. Notable competition in the primary campaign was lacking. If he were to voluntarily throw in the towel or be forced to do so, the Democrats would need to quickly agree on a replacement.
- During the prime time interview on ABC News, George Stephanopoulos challenged Joe Biden on his suitability for the presidency, despite Biden's attempts to address concerns about his fitness.
- Axelrod, a former strategist for Barack Obama, wrote on X that while Biden is proud of his record, he is disconnected from the concerns of the people regarding his abilities.
- The discussion about Biden's fundamental qualifications overshadowed other political content during the interview, with Stephanopoulos refusing to deviate from the topic.
- Biden, at 81, is the oldest US president in history, and his response to the questions about his fitness was defiant, stating that only God could move him to withdraw.
- Among Democrats, there is growing anxiety that the Republicans could gain control of both the White House and Congress in the upcoming US election, leading to calls for Biden to step down from the race.
- Even though some Democrats have publicly called for Biden to drop out of the race, public support for him remains strong, with Senator Chris Coons praising Biden's political achievements.
- At the same time, there have been reports of Senator Mark Warner trying to rally a group of Democrats to convince Biden to withdraw, while House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is scheduled to discuss the situation with high-ranking Democrats.
- The #USElection2024 hashtag has been circulating on social media, with some Americans expressing doubts about Biden's qualifications, echoing concerns previously expressed by unnamed congressional staffers.
