US presidential election: Biden admits mistakes – TV interview as a test of strength
US President Joe Biden is battling rival Donald Trump on all fronts after his failure to save his campaign on television. “I had a bad night. The fact is I made a mistake,” the Democrat said in a radio interview. But he has learned from his father that one must always get up, the 81-year-old added. Ninety minutes on a television stage is nothing compared to what he has achieved in the past three and a half years.
US media report that Biden has admitted to being tired behind closed doors and wants to limit his evening appointments. The Democrat is currently trying to appease critics within his party. Reports of a tired president may not help in this regard. The biggest test for him now is probably a planned television interview.
The television interview as a test of fire
Biden will give an interview to the American broadcaster ABC on Friday, which will be broadcast during prime time (from 2 a.m. in Germany until Saturday). The interview is expected to be recorded in the morning.
Interviewer George Stephanopoulos is a longtime face of the network. In the 1990s, he worked for then-Democratic President Bill Clinton. Biden rarely gives television interviews. The fact that he now feels compelled to do so shows how serious the situation is. Biden’s appearance could be decisive in calming down or gaining momentum among his party’s critics.
Biden is trying to secure a second term in the US elections in November and prevent Trump from returning to the White House. After his disastrous performance in the television debate in front of a million viewers, the 81-year-old candidate must now ask himself the question of whether he is still the right candidate or whether he should be replaced by a younger alternative.
Instability in the Democratic Party
Behind the scenes, there was initially only grumbling within the Democratic Party, but critics also spoke out publicly. Biden eventually held crisis talks and spoke with party leaders. He also met with more than 20 Democratic governors at the White House and online and by phone to enlist their support.
Biden’s health in the spotlight
Biden told the governors, according to the New York Times and CNN, that he needs to sleep more and work less. This means limiting events after 8 p.m., the outlet reported, citing unnamed sources. At the same time, he made it clear that he intends to stay in the race. CNN writes that some of the governors were frustrated by Biden’s statements.
Biden is also reported to have mentioned during the meeting that he had undergone a medical examination after the televised debate and that he was feeling fine. However, his spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre had said hours earlier that he had not seen a doctor. “He didn’t go to the doctor. It’s just a cold, people. It’s just a cold,” she said.
Biden spoke harshly during the debate and appeared hoarse. Afterward, he said he had a cold. He tried to explain his disastrous performance, during which he frequently lost his thread, as stress from the long trips abroad before the debate.
Biden spent Independence Day, traditionally celebrated in the United States on July 4, with his family at the White House. In the afternoon (at 2:00 a.m. German time on Friday), Biden will deliver his traditional speech on the occasion of the holiday.
Once again, all eyes may be on Biden, 81. In such speeches, Biden typically does not take questions and reads his speech from the teleprompter, reducing the chance of verbal gaffes.
Trump keeps a low profile
Biden continues to focus on attacks against his political opponent, Trump, 78, in his campaign. “We cannot and must not let this guy win,” he warned in a radio interview with a local station in the US state of Wisconsin.
In recent days, Trump has been noticeably quiet. His approach may be strategic, as the entire country is currently debating whether Biden is fit for the presidency. Reports suggest that Republicans are hoping Biden stays in the race, as they believe this would boost their chances of a Trump victory in the November election.
In recent weeks, Trump and Biden have been tied in the polls. Trump has always led by one or two percentage points, despite his scandals and his conviction in a criminal trial in New York.
According to the latest polls, Trump has managed to significantly expand his lead in voter support since the televised debate. Among Democrats, this is increasing anxiety and, apparently, also the willingness to consider another candidate. Attention is increasingly focused on Biden’s running mate, Kamala Harris.
Biden has secured his candidacy in the primaries
Democrats will officially nominate their presidential candidate at a party convention in Chicago in August. Biden has already accumulated the necessary delegate votes, securing his candidacy. He had no serious competition and was considered a sure-fire candidate from the start.
So only Biden himself can decide to throw in the towel. Observers believe that if he does eventually withdraw from the race, he would not show signs of weakness until the last moment, as that would be disastrous for the polls.
- In the upcoming #USElection2024, Joe Biden is running against Donald Trump, aiming to secure a second term as President of the United States.
- Biden will participate in a prime-time interview on ABC Television, hosted by George Stephanopoulos, who worked for Bill Clinton in the 1990s.
- The interview comes after Biden’s disappointing performance in the televised debate, where he admitted to making a mistake and feeling fatigued.
- The interview is crucial as Biden tries to ease tensions within his party following criticism from its members.
- Biden’s candidacy has been jeopardized by his disastrous performance, prompting calls for a younger alternative to replace him.
- During crisis talks with Democratic leaders, Biden mentioned undergoing a medical exam and assured governors of his continued participation in the race.
- Despite initial complaints within the Democratic Party, critics have publicly expressed their dissatisfaction with Biden’s campaign, and the issue has escalated.
- The outcome of Biden’s interview with George Stephanopoulos could potentially influence the party’s stance or strengthen the opposition’s momentum.
- American media are closely following Biden’s performance as it could have a significant impact on the outcome of the presidential election and the unity of the Democratic Party.
- If Biden were to drop out of the race, observers believe he would hide his true feelings until the last moment to avoid a negative impact on the polls.
