US President Biden tries to save his candidacy
The President is at the end or long live the President? With everything possible, Joe Biden is trying to save his campaign. Every step of his is closely watched. The US Democrats are in crisis mode, with alarming polls.
No, it's not over yet. US President Joe Biden is fighting with all his experience to prevent an early end to his re-election bid and thus also to his political career. The 81-year-old is trying instead to prove in this week that he is not at the end of his strength after his first term. Most Democrats are currently rallying behind him. However, the edges of his voter base are cracking. Support from his own party in Congress is becoming shakier. And polls show significant doubts among voters.
Biden is at a possible turning point that could also mark a generational shift in US politics. The majority of US Americans express opposition to both Biden and his opponent Donald Trump in the White House, but the political reality looks different at the moment. Yet, even Democrats who were favorably disposed to Biden before the recent television debate are now openly calling for him to make way for another candidate.
Critics, doubters, and warning voices have been pounding on Biden for days, but he shows no signs of giving up; it's practically the only thing left for him. On Thursday, the President admitted in a radio interview that he had a "bad night" during the TV debate the previous week. "I messed up," he said about his disappointing performance against Trump. But one must get up again. "We will win this election," he assured. Biden is counting his days and trying to hold on until the panic in the party subsides.
Program of the last seven days
Correspondingly, his schedule of the past seven days looked as follows. The day after the debate, Biden gave an energetic campaign speech - with teleprompter - in North Carolina. On Saturday, he met with donors at a fundraising event and joked, "Don't compare me to the Almighty, but to the alternative. Then it's not such a difficult choice." After a free Sunday, he criticized the Supreme Court's ruling on Monday, which granted far-reaching immunity to the Republican and other Presidents against criminal prosecution.
On Tuesday, he spoke again at a fundraising event about the TV debate and blamed his exhausting international trips of the past weeks for his poor performance. "I didn't listen to my staff, came back, and almost fell asleep on stage." Several major Democratic donors have already spoken out in favor of Biden stepping down; one of the Netflix co-founders, who called for a "powerful leader" of the Democrats who could beat Trump, is reportedly among them. Others are said to be speaking out only behind closed doors to not help Trump.
The Republican apparently thinks Biden is finished. "He's dropping out of the race," he says in leaked video from a golf course where the ex-President is sitting on a golf cart giving money to someone. "I've taken him out - and that means, we have Kamala (Harris)", he boasts after Trump's conversation partner assures him he was "fantastic" in the TV debate. Trump then questions Biden, "Can you imagine how he'll handle Putin? And the Chinese president, a tough guy."
Biden himself, according to "New York Times", means: The coming days will be decisive as to whether he can save his candidacy. On Wednesday, he first met with his Vice President Kamala Harris, a potential replacement candidate, assuring his campaign team in a teleconference: "I'm in this race to the end. No one is pushing me out." He also phoned other party leaders, including the House Speaker of the Democrats and the Senator.
Doubting Democrats in Congress, Doubting Voters
His press secretary dismissed questions from journalists all day long about his condition or a possible withdrawal from the race, which sometimes took absurd turns. The attendees discussed for minutes how an infection would run its course, as Biden had attributed his hoarseness during the TV debate to a cold. He obtained the support of more than 20 Democratic governors at a crisis meeting in the White House at the end of the day on Wednesday. They stand with him... for now.
Meanwhile, two Democrats in Congress have called on the President not to run again, some have expressed doubts. Usual practice would be for party leaders to call on their members to support the President or exert pressure, but given the situation, that is no longer possible; the voters' doubts about Biden have been significantly raised by the performance. The pressure on politicians comes now from below. 80% of Americans view Biden as too old for another term.
In order to limit potential damage to representatives and senators, party leaders have now issued a waiver. Each one can and should do what he thinks is best for his district or state. Because the polls in the country look bad. Since the TV debate, Biden has lost ground on average to Trump, in some polls even dramatically. He is behind Trump by almost 3%, in some individual polls even by up to 6%. The numbers could get even worse if public discussions about Biden's condition continue.
He tries everything to capture her, has sharpened his program once again. On Friday, after the celebrations of the Independence Day on July 4th, Biden travels to Wisconsin for campaigning in the contested US state, a key state for the November election. Additionally, he is scheduled for a TV interview to be aired on the same day. And on Sunday, he is announced for an appearance at the teachers' union, the largest labor representation in the US with around 3 million members. The president cannot escape his age; but apparently wants to demonstrate that things are not as bad for him as they looked a week ago.
Despite the criticism and doubt from both within and outside his party, President Joe Biden shows no signs of giving up his re-election bid for the 2024 US presidential election. In a radio interview, he admitted to having a "bad night" during the TV debate with former President Donald Trump, but assured his supporters that they will win the election. Biden is scheduled for campaign events in Wisconsin, an important state, and a TV interview, attempting to regain support and demonstrate his strength. Meanwhile, Trump boasts about "taking out" Biden, suggesting Kamala Harris as a replacement candidate. The Republican sees this as an opportunity to escalate attacks against Biden, raising questions about his ability to handle international leaders such as Putin and the Chinese president.
