On the 11th, US President Biden, who is seeking re-election in the US presidential election in November, reiterated his intention to remain in the campaign. However, Biden made a series of regrettable mistakes, mispronouncing the names of important people twice in just two hours, deepening concerns about Biden’s ability to fulfill his duties and threatening to continue his campaign.
After his lackluster performance in last month’s debate with former President Trump, Biden, 81, successfully wrapped up a three-day North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Washington.
During his bilateral meeting with President Zelenskiy of Ukraine and the press conference an hour after the NATO summit, Biden discussed a wide range of complex issues, including tax policy, trade policy, and the war between Israel and the Islamic organization Hamas with great confidence.
However, in a situation where there was little margin for error, Mr. Biden made a mistake by mispronouncing the names of two of his most important allies and two of his greatest enemies. It quickly became an online joke.
US President Biden mistakes President Zelenskiy for President Putin
Source: Bloomberg
At an event held on the evening of the 11th, when Biden introduced the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskiy, he mistakenly referred to the President of Russia Vladimir Putin, which caused tension among the attendees.
President Biden shaking hands with President Zelenskiy (right) (July 11)
Photographer: Chris Kleponis/CNP/Bloomberg
In addition, at a press conference after the much-anticipated NATO summit, there was a scene in which he incorrectly addressed Vice President Harris and Mr. Trump in response to the first question.
Biden said in the letter that he “wouldn’t have picked Vice President Trump as his running mate” if he didn’t think he was qualified to be president, and mentioned Trump’s name instead of Harris.
Mr. Biden’s solo press conference was intended to demonstrate his stamina and ability to deliver eloquent answers as he tries to convince American voters to vote for him over Mr. Trump in November’s presidential election. Biden’s enthusiastic allies were energized as he answered questions from 11 reporters and displayed more humility about the difficult campaign ahead.
Mr. Biden said, “I am determined to continue my candidacy. However, I think it’s important to allay concerns.”
With viewers hanging on Biden’s every word, his performance at the news conference may not be enough to calm the tumult within the Democratic Party that emerged after last month’s debate.
President Biden spoke incorrectly about Vice President Harris and former President Trump at a press conference
Source: Bloomberg
Almost immediately after the press conference ended, at least three Democratic members of the House joined the list of lawmakers calling for Biden to drop out of the race. Among them is Himes, the top Democrat on the Select Committee on Intelligence.
After Biden’s press conference, one member of the NATO delegation said that although the participating countries generally praised the content of the summit in Washington, their own leaders felt that Biden was in a dilemma at the moment They will not be able to survive the crisis.
A Biden campaign representative said his performance on the 11th will reassure Democratic lawmakers wary of his path to re-election.
While there was plenty of material for Trump and his allies, who want Biden to stay in the race, to mock him, there were no catastrophic moments that would lead to his withdrawal. If the Democratic candidate is replaced by someone other than Biden, there is a chance that some of the young and minority voters that Trump made headway with will be lost.
In a post on social media, Mr Trump criticized Mr Biden for referring to himself and Ms Harris confusingly, saying, “Good job, Joe.”
Biden has said that he is “the most qualified person” to be the Democratic presidential candidate and that he must “see it to the end,” but also said for the first time that “there are other people who could get the best of Trump.” . Although he remains committed to running, he said he might reconsider if told he had no chance of winning.
Mr. Biden also noted the praise he received from world leaders for calling the NATO summit, and expressed his understanding that the series of miscommunications was not a major problem.
The New York Times (NYT) reported on the 11th that longtime aides and advisers to Mr. Biden are discussing ways to convince Mr. Biden to withdraw from the campaign. The paper also reported that the Biden campaign had commissioned a voter survey assuming a confrontation between Harris and Trump.
A spokesman for the Biden campaign insists that the team is still united behind him. But these signs that Biden’s inner circle may be joining the ranks of Democratic lawmakers, donors and strategists who have called for Biden to withdraw could be the final blow.
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Original title:Biden Vows to Stay in 2024 Race Even as Gaffes Threaten Campaign(excerpt)
(The 13th paragraph is updated with a statement from a Biden campaign official. The article before the update has been corrected to read Mr. Biden in the fourth paragraph.)