US election campaign - Biden tours Pennsylvania - Democrats consult with each other
Despite the debate over his physical fitness for a second term, US President Joe Biden conducted a series of campaign appearances in the state of Pennsylvania. The 81-year-old Democrat first spoke at a historically predominantly Black-attended church in Philadelphia. After that, he made an unexpected stop at campaign volunteers, followed by a long conversation with supporters in Harrisburg, where he posed for selfies and drank lemonade. On the way to the airport, he visited a café.
Biden seemed to be going against the narrative of the past week that he is no longer physically fit for the campaign. While he was traveling through Pennsylvania, Democratic representatives from the House of Representatives held an extraordinary caucus. The Minority Leader of the Chamber, Hakeem Jeffries, had organized the meeting. US media reported afterwards, citing sources familiar with the situation, that several high-ranking party members were convinced Biden should withdraw from the race for the White House.
Internal Tensions among Democrats
If these representatives were to make their conviction public, they would join five other representatives who have already taken this step. Two other representatives have publicly expressed their assessment that Biden cannot win the presidency in November against his Republican challenger Donald Trump. Other Democratic congressmen have not spoken so drastically but have expressed concern.
The Democrats are concerned that Biden's situation could affect their own mandate - in the US election in November, in addition to the presidency, all seats in the House of Representatives and a third of all seats in the Senate are up for vote. During the current session week in the US Parliament, it is expected that there will be more dissenters. A meeting of Democratic senators and senators, which was reportedly scheduled for today according to "Axios," however, is not taking place, according to a report.
"This can't be a week where everything runs as usual," said Senator Chris Murphy on CNN. Biden must prove to the American public that he is still the person "many of us know and love." Murphy believed Biden could make it but also said, "The clock is ticking."
Similarly, Democratic Representative Adam Schiff expressed himself on NBC. Biden's statement in a much-noticed TV interview on Friday (local time) that it was ultimately about whether he had given his best as a candidate - even if he did not win the election - was particularly alarming to Schiff. Schiff disagreed vigorously: "It's not just about whether he has given his best, but whether he has made the right decision to run." It's about "whether this country remains a democracy or whether we drift into some kind of pseudo-dictatorship," Schiff said.
Sanders supports Biden
Ander's assessment of Bernie Sanders: "President Biden can clearly defeat Donald Trump, the most dangerous president in the history of this country," stated the independent Senator on CBS. Biden may be old and can no longer express himself as elegantly, Sanders conceded. "I wish he could climb the steps of Air Force One - he can't." However, the focus of the debate should now be on whose politics benefits the majority of the country.
In Pennsylvania - a "Swing State," neither Democrats nor Republicans can claim as their own - Biden presented himself alongside political allies from the state and addressed his advanced age humorously in a church in Philadelphia before an enthusiastic congregation.
"I know I look like I'm only 40 years old," he joked in the church in Philadelphia before a jubilant crowd. "But I've been around for a while and I've never been overly optimistic about America's future." But everyone must work together for this, Biden emphasized. He delivered his speech with a powerful voice from a manuscript. In subsequent appearances, he spoke without notes or teleprompters - a demand for which concerned party colleagues had previously raised concerns.
Guest of the NATO Summit
Since his disastrous performance in the first TV debate against Trump, Biden has been fighting on all fronts. A TV interview with Biden on Friday (local time) raised doubts about his fitness more than it dispelled them. He said, among other things, that only God could move him to withdraw, refused a medical test on his mental fitness, and questioned poor poll numbers.
The White House has already announced several engagements for Biden in mid-July. This week, the US President will host the NATO Summit in the capital Washington as the guest of honor. How he performs there must be closely monitored.
- Despite the concerns about his physical fitness, US President Joe Biden continued his election campaign appearances in Philadelphia, a significant city in Pennsylvania.
- The US media reported on the unexpected stop Biden made during his campaign in Harrisburg, highlighting his interaction with supporters and volunteers.
- Democratic representatives, including Hakeem Jeffries, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, held an extraordinary caucus in Harrisburg, discussing Biden's fitness for the White House.
- If some representatives were to publicly express their conviction about Biden withdrawing from the race, they would join the five others who have already taken this stance.
- The Democrats are concerned about how Biden's situation might impact their chances in the upcoming US election, where all seats in the House of Representatives and a third of Senate seats are up for vote.
- Bernie Sanders, an independent Senator, expressed his support for Biden, stating that he could defeat Donald Trump despite his age and speaking abilities.
- During his campaign appearance in Philadelphia, Biden joked about his age, humbly acknowledging his years of experience but emphasizing the importance of everyone working together.
- Despite concerns raised by party colleagues about Biden speaking without notes or teleprompters, he delivered a powerful speech in Philadelphia, addressing the congregation with conviction.
- As a guest of honor at the NATO Summit in Washington, Biden will have a crucial opportunity to demonstrate his fitness for the US President role, with his performance closely monitored.
- With the hashtag #USElection2024 trending, the US election campaign is already underway, and the American public has a significant choice to make in the near future.
