This is the worst-case scenario for the Democrats
President Biden's Press Conference at the End of the NATO Summit was a Test. Can He Speak Fluidly without a Teleprompter? The Media Echo is Somewhat Clear.
No major new disaster, but not really convincing - that's how US media summarized President Joe Biden's press conference at the end of the NATO summit in Washington. Yes, he made a few stumbles. For example, he referred to Donald Trump as his vice president, which hung there. Previously, he had already mistakenly identified Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with Vladimir Putin. He noticed both mistakes himself and corrected them.
Such stumbles can still be overlooked. After all, Biden has always been known for his gaffes, his reputation precedes him. This criticism has followed Biden since he first ran for the presidency in 1988, wrote TV host and former politician Joe Scarborough in X. "But everything he does now is seen through the lens of the first TV debate." Scarborough was once a Republican representative in the House, has moderated the widely viewed show "Morning Joe" on MSNBC for years, whose commentators are mostly pro-democratic.
Since the TV debate, support for Biden has waned. Seventeen representatives in the House and a senator have called on him to withdraw. But even Hollywood star George Clooney has distanced himself from him, which he did publicly via a guest article in the "New York Times."
Doubts Remain
The media - they too are taking a step back. The major newspapers and TV networks can usually be clearly assigned to a political camp. The "New York Times," for example, is clearly pro-democratic. Surprisingly, they have published comment after comment since the TV debate, encouraging Biden to step down. The debate revolves around a simple question: Is Biden too old? Many answer with "yes." Even the previously mentioned moderator Scarborough. On "Morning Joe," he called on Biden to step down after the TV debate.
Many journalists seem to be in a crouching position: How long can Biden last? Will he be able to calm the critics? Against this background, the press conference at the NATO summit was intriguing. Did Biden manage to speak coherently without a teleprompter? He did indeed manage to do so. But dispelling doubts, that seemed to be less successful.
Rachel Maddow, commentator on the more liberal MSNBC, said in her show that Biden is a master of foreign policy. He has proven this as a senator, vice president, and president. He undermines these facts with his demeanor. He interrupts himself, leaves things out, and speaks in a soft, monotone voice at times. "There is a huge discrepancy between his presentation style and his real mastery of the topic of foreign policy," she said after the press conference.
David Axelrod, former advisor to President Barack Obama and now commentator at CNN and podcaster ("Hacks on Tap"), seemed unconvinced. "If what he said at the end of the press conference is true, Biden's team apparently didn't make it clear to him what the data show: The issue of age is huge and possibly insurmountable," Axelrod said on CNN. Biden's chances of winning the election are "very, very small." Biden had said in the press conference that his advisors had not shown him any polls in which he had no chance of winning. If there were such polls, he might withdraw, the president said.
With this statement, the "New York Times" begins its analysis of the speech. In it, it is stated that Biden delivered a competent presentation, but it was not captivating. However, it remained uncertain whether that was enough to stop the bleeding of democratic support, which was on the verge of collapse. Minutes after the end of the press conference, the "drip-drip-drip" of congressmembers continued, urging him to resign. Three representatives called for Biden to resign shortly after the meeting.
Can he say "Neurologist"?
In the report of the "Washington Post," it is stated that Biden showed moments of speech competency and control, but he also stumbled over words, mixed up names, and gave meandering answers. The result was a "mixed performance." The Democrats were "on the hot seat" - between good and evil, without clarity on what was to come.
"Politico" titles: "Biden makes a good showing, but faces further resignation demands." The portal quotes Representative Steve Cohen from Tennessee with the words: "I think he convinced many people that he should stay in the race."
The conservative tabloid "New York Post" went into great detail about how leading ministers like Anthony Blinken and Lloyd Austin appeared stiff during the PK. Biden also had trouble saying the word "neurologist" - a fact that the newspaper connects with the suspicion that the President might be suffering from Parkinson's disease.
The conservative news channel Fox News quotes the conservative podcaster Josh Holmes ("Ruthless") with the words: "That's the worst possible outcome for the Democrats. Multiple verbal gaffes. Nothing to calm nerves. But also not enough to stop his candidacy."
After the United States Presidency Election 2024, Donald Trump has indicated his intention to run again. This raises questions about Biden's potential challenger and the impact on the Democrats' political strategy.
Despite Biden's performance at the NATO summit press conference, concerns about his age and speech difficulties continue to persist among critics, both within and outside the Democratic party. These concerns have amplified since the television debate, leading some to question Biden's ability to effectively lead the United States of America during the remaining years of his term.
Joe Biden's speech at the NATO summit press conference was analyzed by political commentators, with some praising his foreign policy expertise but criticizing his presentation style. David Axelrod, a former advisor to President Barack Obama, noted that despite Biden's competent delivery, the issue of age and its potential impact on his re-election chances remains a significant concern.
