Biden cannot shake off debate about his candidacy - stumble at NATO summit
In his much-anticipated press conference, Biden reiterated his candidacy for the Presidency in the November election. He considered himself the "best qualified person" for the job. He had already beaten his rival Donald Trump once, "and I will do it again". It wasn't about his legacy, Biden added. He wanted to finish the work he had started.
Shortly beforehand, Biden made an embarrassing name mix-up between Zelenskyy and Putin, the Russian president, at the NATO Summit closing ceremony. He intended to pass the word on to the Ukrainian president, "who is just as brave and determined. Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin," Biden said.
However, Biden immediately corrected his mistake, returned to the lectern, and said: "I will beat President Putin. President Zelenskyy. I was so focused on beating President Putin." Zelenskyy responded in reference to Putin: "I am better."
During the subsequent, much-anticipated press conference at the end of the NATO Summit, Biden referred to his vice president as "Vice President Trump," without noticing the error. Most questions from journalists revolved around Biden's health status. He reported on neurological exams that had given him a good bill of health. He was determined to run, "but I know it's important to allay fears," the President said.
Biden denied that he normally had to go to bed by 8:00 p.m. - the time of his press conference. However, he had previously announced that he would try to avoid events after 8:00 p.m. due to his disastrous and confused performance in the televised debate with Trump two weeks earlier, which had sparked the current debate about his mental and physical fitness.
At the NATO anniversary summit, Biden aimed to present himself as a resolute leader of the Western world and prove his fitness. For the most part, he remained focused throughout the three-day summit, with no major gaffes occurring - until the end.
Apart from the name mix-ups, Biden's performance in the press conference was at times less than stellar - he cleared his throat repeatedly, spoke slowly, and got tangled in his sentences several times. Overall, the performance was not as devastating as in the debate against Trump.
To prove his fitness, Biden also quoted NATO allies as witnesses. "I don't hear any of the European allies saying: Joe, don't run. I hear them saying: If you don't win, it will be a disaster," Biden said. Public support for the US President came from Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) among others. "Missteps happen, and if you observe closely enough, you find enough," the Chancellor said in his own press conference.
In an interview with the US broadcaster PBS, Scholz praised the US President for his leadership skills. "It would be a big mistake to underestimate the President," the Chancellor said. "His leadership was very important in the past years and months."
However, after the press conference, three more congressional Democrats publicly called for Biden to withdraw his presidential candidacy - the number of Democratic congressional representatives who publicly made such a call rose to 17.
Trump, Biden's predecessor, is expected to be officially nominated as the Republican presidential candidate by his party during a conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin next week. In the meantime, Trump took jabs at Biden during a post on his online service Truth Social regarding his press conference. "Great job, Joe!" Trump, who has had his own verbal slip-ups, taunted.
- Despite the constant talk about his fitness and age, President Biden emphasized his determination to serve another term, stating that he's the "best qualified person" for the job.
- At the NATO Summit, a moment of awkwardness arose when Biden mistakenly referred to Vladimir Putin as "President Putin," intending to speak to Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
- Following the misunderstanding, Biden swiftly corrected himself, acknowledging that his focus was on defeating Putin in the broader context of international relations.
- During the Q&A session at the NATO Summit, Biden mistakenly referred to Kamala Harris as "Vice President Trump," showcasing a moment of forgetfulness.
- The topic of Biden's health became a central theme in journalists' questions, prompting him to assure the public of his good health after undergoing neurological exams.
- Former President Trump is expected to be officially nominated as the Republican presidential candidate at a conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, next week, continuing the political battle between the two leaders.
- In the NATO anniversary summit, Biden aimed to portray himself as a strong leader and secured the support of NATO allies, such as Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who praised Biden's leadership skills.
- The ongoing debate about Biden's fitness prompted three more congressional Democrats to call for Biden to withdraw his candidacy, bringing the total number of Democrats advocating for withdrawal to 17.
- Despite his occasional verbal mistakes, prominent political figures like Joe Biden and Donald Trump both demonstrate that being a gamer who lacks skill or consistency in one area does not necessarily translate to incompetence in leadership roles.
