WASHINGTON (AP) — It was a hectic Friday for US President Joe Biden and for Democrats seeking his re-election. The goal was to calm supporters’ anxieties after his shaky performance in Thursday night’s debate with former President Donald Trump, as elected members of his party closed ranks to try to silence speculation that he could be replaced as the nominee.
Biden’s hesitations and digressions, especially early in the debate, fueled concerns even among members of his party that at 81, He is not up to the task of leading the country for another four years.
This created a moment of crisis for Biden’s campaign team and his presidency, as members of his party flirted with potential replacements and donors and supporters could not contain their concern about his performance against Trump.
Biden came out to contain the critics
The current US president appeared to acknowledge the criticism during a rally in Raleigh, North Carolina, saying: “I don’t debate as well as I used to. But, he added, “I know how to do this job. I know how to get things done.” Speaking for 18 minutes, Biden seemed much more animated than the night before as he criticized Trump for his “lies” and for running a campaign aimed at “revenge and reckoning.
“The choice in this election is simple,” Biden said. “Donald Trump will destroy our democracy. I will defend it.” He added, referring to his candidacy and his struggles in the debate: “When you get knocked down, you get back up.”
They are closing ranks around the president’s candidacy.
On Friday, Democratic lawmakers acknowledged Biden’s poor showing but sought to quell speculation that they would replace him as their standard-bearer, instead directing attention to Trump’s attacks and lies.
“Well, the president didn’t have a good night, but neither did Donald Trump with lie after lie and his bleak vision for America,” North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper told The Associated Press on Friday, hours before introducing the president in Raleigh.
Former President Barack Obama backed his former vice president, posting on X: “Debate nights are bad. They happen. Trust me, I know.” Referring to his poor performance in the first debate of his 2012 re-election campaign. Obama continued: “But this election is still a choice between someone who has fought for ordinary people his entire life and someone who only cares about himself.”
