U.S. President Joe Biden used a news conference Thursday to deliver a spirited defense of his foreign and domestic policies and dismiss any doubts about his ability to stay in office for another four years, even as he stumbled on a reference to Donald Trump in one of his first responses.
“I’m not in this for my legacy. I’m in this to finish the job I started,” Biden said, insisting he has strong voter support and will stay in the race and win.
Though he has stumbled a few times, the president has rejected any suggestion that he is on the decline or that he is not the one in charge. But there are growing calls from lawmakers, celebrities and other prominent Democrats for him to drop out of the presidential race.
“My schedule has been packed,” he said. “So if I slow down and can’t get the job done, that’s a sign that I shouldn’t be doing it. But so far there’s no sign of that. None.”
Democrats are facing an intractable problem. Donors, supporters and key lawmakers have expressed doubts about Biden’s ability to sustain the campaign after his recent performance in the June 27 debate, but the 81-year-old president is refusing to give up as he prepares to face Trump again in November.
The first person to ask Biden a question during the news conference asked him about the support he has lost among many of his fellow Democrats and union members, and asked him about Vice President Kamala Harris.
The president was initially defiant, saying, “The UAW endorsed me, but it continues,” using the initials of the United Auto Workers. But he later confused Harris with Trump, declaring, “I would not have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president if she wasn’t capable.”
Trump made his views known live as the press conference was taking place, posting a video of the president saying, “Vice President Trump,” on his social media account.
Trump added sarcastically: “Good job, Joe.”
As of Thursday afternoon, a dozen House Democrats had called on him to drop out of the race. The news conference was an attempt to show he is fit to serve another four years in office. Voters are watching and officials are weighing whether to push for an alternative.
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