Debate about Biden's candidacy: US President delivers energetic speech at Nato summit
The oldest President of US history, who is 81 years old, has been confronted with a heated debate in his own party about his mental capabilities since his disastrous television appearance at the end of June against his expected challenger Donald Trump. In his speech at the 75-year anniversary of NATO in Washington, Biden spoke energetically and largely without stutter - but he read the speech from a teleprompter in contrast to the TV debate.
"Don't be fooled. Ukraine can and will stop Putin," Biden said to applause from the assembled NATO heads of state and government. The real public test for Biden's mental robustness, however, will only come at the last summit day on Thursday, when he gives one of his rare press conferences. At this event, Biden will have to speak freely and spontaneously and without the help of a teleprompter.
Biden and his entourage have been intensely busy since the TV appearance in trying to quell the debate among Democrats about his suitability for the battle against Trump and a second term. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Tuesday that she believed the Democrats were now "absolutely" united behind Biden.
"We want to turn the page. We want to move on from this," Jean-Pierre said in response to a question about whether Biden now acknowledged that the crisis was behind him. "He wants to go forward, to unite the party," she said. Jean-Pierre also answered affirmatively when asked if Biden would serve a full four-year term if elected in November.
Biden challenged the skeptics in his own ranks at the beginning of the week in a television interview to enter the nomination contest for the Democrats in August. He also appealed to the Democrats in Congress to unite behind him as the presidential candidate.
Seven Democratic congressmen publicly called on Biden to withdraw his candidacy following the television debate. However, there was no open rebellion against Biden during a closed-door session of the Democratic caucus in the House of Representatives on Tuesday. Instead, there were several expressions of solidarity for the President - albeit not particularly enthusiastic ones.
"He says he's staying, he's our candidate, and we'll all support him - hopefully we'll all support him," said influential Congressman Jerry Nadler, Chairman of the Democrats on the Judiciary Committee. Over the weekend, Nadler reportedly expressed the view in a non-public conference call that Biden should withdraw his candidacy.
Representative Mike Quigley, who had publicly spoken out against Biden's candidacy, remained in his position after the session: "He needs to step down because he can't win."
Meanwhile, former President Trump attacked Biden during a campaign appearance in the state of Florida. He called the President "corrupt, incompetent, and cognitively impaired." Trump also accused a "dark conspiracy" of deceiving the US public about "the cognitive abilities of the man in the Oval Office."
The 78-year-old Trump is expected to be officially nominated as the Republican presidential candidate by his party at a convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, coming week.
- Despite the criticisms from within his party after his TV debate with Donald Trump, US President Joe Biden expressed confidence in Ukraine's ability to stop Russian President Vladimir Putin during his speech at the NATO summit in Washington.
- White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has stated that the Democrats are now "absolutely" united behind President Biden's candidacy, despite the debates about his mental capabilities.
- During the NATO summit, Biden gave a speech energically, but he used a teleprompter, contrasting his performance in the TV debate with Donald Trump's unscripted approach.
- Critics within Biden's party, including seven Democratic congressmen, have urged him to withdraw his candidacy following his controversial TV debate performance.
- In response to these criticisms, influential Congressman Jerry Nadler, Chairman of the Democrats on the Judiciary Committee, publicly supported Biden, stating that "he's our candidate" and they would all support him.
- Donald Trump, the Republicans' presumptive nominee for the 2022 election, attacked Biden during a campaign rally, labeling him "corrupt, incompetent, and cognitively impaired."
- As the NATO summit drew to a close, focus turned to Biden's upcoming press conference, where he will speak freely and without a teleprompter, providing a significant test of his mental robustness.
