It’s about reassuring. Joe Biden tried, on Friday, June 28, to silence the little music of a possible withdrawal of his candidacy for the presidential election, after a calamitous debate against Donald Trump that deeply shook his supporters. “I don’t speak as easily as I used to, I don’t speak as fluently as I used to, I don’t debate as well as I used to”recognized the 81-year-old Democrat, at a meeting in Raleigh, North Carolina.
“I give you my word from Biden. I wouldn’t run again if I didn’t believe, with all my heart and soul, that I can do this job.”however, added the American president, saying his “intention to win” this disputed state in the South-East. There is no question of withdrawing his candidacy, therefore, for a president almost unrecognizable on Friday, after the painful ninety minutes he spent Thursday evening facing his 78-year-old Republican rival, between swallowed words , unfinished sentences and haggard expression.
The leader received strong support from Barack Obama, who remains one of the most respected voices in the Democratic Party. “Bad debates happen”said the former president, assuring that this election “remained a choice” between someone “who fought all his life for ordinary people” and Donald Trump, “who only cares about himself.”
In Raleigh, Mr. Biden – aided, unlike the day before, by a teleprompter – touted his record and his ideas. He even jogged a few strides as he arrived on stage. Mr. Trump “is a crime wave in itself”he said of the first former U.S. president to be criminally convicted and prosecuted in a series of cases.
Media reports ‘panic’ among Democrats
The Biden camp wants to believe that, by November, the terrible impression left on Thursday evening could fade, while the ” lies “ spouted by Mr. Trump and concerns for American democracy would take over. It will be difficult. The Raleigh speech obviously has, in terms of audience, nothing comparable to the debate organized by CNN. The latter, according to the Nielsen institute, attracted 48 million viewers.
“Joe Biden, a good man, a good president, is not in a position to seek re-election.”wrote an editorialist from the New York TimesThomas Friedman, even saying he had ” cry “ before the performance of his ” friend “ Joe Biden. The American media are reporting a wave of ” panic “ among Democrats, four months before the election and about six weeks before the convention that is supposed to swear in the president. So far, however, no Democratic Party heavyweight has publicly echoed this sentiment.
Vice President Kamala Harris herself acknowledged that Mr. Biden had made a start. “laborious”but she felt he was finished ” in strength “ facing an opponent who has multiplied false assertions without ever losing his calm or his poise. The 59-year-old Democrat will campaign in Nevada on Friday. His name appears on the list of those who could replace Mr. Biden in the event of his withdrawal before November, with those of some prominent Democratic governors, such as Gavin Newsom (California) or Gretchen Whitmer (Michigan).