Topline
President Joe Biden acknowledged age has affected his political performance, but said he would continue his campaign in a speech Friday, appearing far more energetic than he did during his shaky debate Thursday with former President Donald Trump.
Key Facts
Biden gave no indication he would heed calls from left-wing pundits for him to drop out of the race and allow another Democrat to run in his place, telling supporters in Raleigh, North Carolina, “I intend to win this state in November . . . we win here, we win the election.”
Biden spoke in the crucial swing state after stammering through Thursday’s debate, including several instances when he lost his train of thought and had to correct himself, prompting abysmal reviews even from some of Trump’s staunchest critics, and reports that Democrats were privately discussing replacing him on the ticket.
Acknowledging concerns about his age and mental acuity, Biden, 81, told the crowd: “I know I’m not a young man, to state the obvious,” adding “I don’t walk as easy as I used to, I don’t speak as smoothly as I used to, I don’t debate as well as I used to.”
In a dig at Trump, who Biden accused of repeatedly lying throughout Thursday’s debate, the president said: “I know what I do know, I know how to tell the truth!”
Biden reassured his supporters “I would not be running again if I didn’t believe with all my heart and soul I can do this job, because quite frankly the stakes are too high.”
Biden attacked Trump over his appointment of Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade and his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, accused him of cutting taxes for the wealthy and driving up the national deficit, telling the audience he spent “90 minutes on stage debating a guy who has the morals of an alley cat,” alleging Trump “set a new record for the most lies told in a single debate.”
Crucial Quote
“Donald Trump is a genuine threat to this nation,” Biden said. “He’s a threat to our freedom. He’s a threat to democracy. He’s literally a threat to everything America stands for.”
Key Background
Biden spoke in North Carolina as Democrats are in panic mode over his performance in Thursday’s debate, multiple outlets reported, citing anonymous operatives, donors and elected officials who have said there are active discussions about replacing Biden. No prominent Democrats have said publicly they believe Biden should step aside, but Biden-friendly pundits, including host of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” Joe Scarborough, and New York Times’ columnist Thomas Friedman, suggested Biden he should drop out of the race and allow another candidate to run in his place. Thursday’s debate was seen as a moment for Biden to reassure the public of his mental faculties as his age is a top concern for voters, but he is widely considered to have done the opposite—repeatedly giving incoherent answers to questions, speaking with a hoarse voice and losing his train of thought.
Tangent
Former President Barack Obama defended Biden in a tweet Friday, writing “bad debate nights happen. Trust me, I know,” and drawing a contrast between Trump, someone Obama said “lies through his teeth for his own benefit,” and Biden, “someone who tells the truth; who knows right from wrong and will give it to the American people straight.”