Biden Insists On Staying In The Race During His High-Stakes News Conference

On Thursday, President Joe Biden engaged in an hour-long press conference at the closing of a NATO summit in Washington D.C., fielding questions on foreign policy, his ability to compete against former President Donald Trump and his decision to reject calls from Democrats to withdraw from the race.

Facing mounting pressure from Democratic lawmakers, donors and officials to withdraw from the race, the conference presented a critical opportunity for the president to address concerns about his candidacy, yielding mixed results.

During the conference, Biden showed no inclination to consider withdrawing from the race, emphasizing that the “gravity of the situation” at hand demands experienced leadership.

While Biden initially stumbled, he remained his resolve when questioned about his campaign’s viability, though he faced challenges in articulating a cohesive case for his candidacy. Nevertheless, he provided detailed and coherent responses regarding foreign policy and his second-term plans.

Even before the news conference, Biden faced difficulties by mistakenly mixing up an important name at the NATO summit, which immediately set a low expectation for his performance.

“Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin,” said Biden as he introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The mistake drew immediate gasps as Biden quickly corrected himself, addressing Zelenksyy: “President Putin? You’re going to beat President Putin.”

Minutes later, House Democrat Rep. Jim Himes (D-Connecticut) released a statement urging the president to drop out of the race.

At the start of the news conference, Biden stumbled in his response to the first question, the type of misstep that has caused concerns among Democrats.

When asked about Vice President Kamala Harris‘s ability to defeat Trump, he responded that he “wouldn’t have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president did I think she was not qualified.”

Biden also stumbled when answering a question about military assistance to Ukraine, saying he follows the advice of his “commander in chief” which is the president, before clarifying and mentioning his senior military commanders.

However, Biden largely avoided the prolonged, painful moments he experienced during the debate.

Throughout the entire conference, Biden affirmed his commitment to staying in the presidential race, emphasizing his determination to “finish the job,” and stating, “I’m determined on running.”

He disregarded polling that showed him trailing Trump and insisted, “I think I’m the best-qualified person to do the job.”

While reaffirming his commitment to stay in the race, Biden also defended Harris’s credentials multiple times, praising her advocacy for abortion rights and “her ability to handle almost any issue on the board.”

However, when asked if he would step aside for Harris if polling indicated she had a better chance of defeating Trump, he responded, “No, unless they come back and said there’s no way you can win. No poll’s saying that.”

Biden meandered while advocating for his presidency, delivering lengthy recitations of his accomplishments as president and asserting his need to continue, yet failing to articulate a clear, concise message on why he is the best candidate for the job.

Despite questions about his mental acuity, Biden spoke confidently and articulately about foreign policy, demonstrating he maintains a robust understanding of global affairs.

He provided lengthy, detailed responses on various foreign policy issues, such as his readiness to intervene in the relationship between Russia and China.

While the conference didn’t erase the stumbles and blank stares from the debate, it demonstrated Biden’s ability to engage with reporters’ questions on a variety of issues without losing focus.