US election campaign: Undeterred Biden confronted with new calls for withdrawal

In the debate about the suitability of US President Joe Biden as a presidential candidate, another congresswoman has publicly called for the Democrat to step down. “President Biden is a good man and I appreciate his lifelong commitment,” wrote Democrat Angie Craig on the online platform X. “But I believe he should make way for the next generation of leaders. There is too much at stake.”

Craig is one of five Democrats in the House of Representatives who have publicly opposed Biden. Two other representatives have also made public their assessment that he cannot win the presidential election in November against his Republican challenger Donald Trump.

The day before, Biden had tried to dispel the considerable doubts about his suitability in a much-watched TV interview with ABC News – but they persisted. David Axelrod, former chief strategist for former President Barack Obama, commented on this in an opinion piece for CNN entitled “Biden’s Defiant Fallacy”. The incumbent must withdraw from the race out of “duty and love for his country”, warned Axelrod. Otherwise, Biden’s age will determine the rest of the election campaign and not “Trump’s moral and ethical emptiness”.

Uncomprehending Biden relies on God

In the TV interview, journalist George Stephanopoulos gave the 81-year-old, already oldest US president in history, little opportunity to focus on political successes. The questioner’s focus was entirely on Biden’s suitability for the presidential election campaign.

Biden reacted in an uncomprehending manner and said, among other things, that only God could persuade him to withdraw. Biden refused to undergo a medical test of his mental fitness and questioned poor poll numbers. He also refused to elaborate on how his behavior could negatively affect the majorities in the US Congress.

Democrats are worried about their own mandates

In the November election, not only the presidency but also many seats in parliament will be reassigned. There is growing fear among Democrats that the Republicans could have control of both the White House and Congress in the future. However, criticism has so far been expressed behind closed doors, i.e. communicated indirectly through the US media. There are increasing numbers of corresponding statements from employees of unnamed members of Congress. These messages could become louder in the coming days – there is a week of sessions in Congress ahead. According to reports, the party is expecting more dissidents, who may also coordinate with each other.

Struggle for the narrative

Since his disastrous performance in the first TV debate against Trump, Biden has been fighting on all fronts to save his candidacy. He is also relying on numerous public appearances. Today, Biden is campaigning in Pennsylvania – the state is considered a “swing state” and is therefore particularly important because it cannot be firmly assigned to either the Democrats or the Republicans.

As a sign of unity, Biden connected with several allied party colleagues on Saturday, including Senator Chris Coons. Biden’s long-time companion told CNN that it was a “constructive, open and positive phone call” in which Biden sought “honest advice”. They agreed that the TV interview went well. Biden’s campaign team had previously announced that the US president had “exceeded expectations”.

Trump team sends mafia quote

Trump, meanwhile, used Biden’s intra-party predicament for his own ends. “The corrupt Joe Biden should ignore his numerous critics and push forward his powerful and far-reaching campaign with zeal and vigor,” the Republican announced sarcastically on his mouthpiece Truth Social. “He should be sharp, precise and energetic, just like in the TV debate.”

Shortly afterwards, Trump’s campaign team sent an email with a link to the X-Account of the famous mafia television series “The Sopranos”. The X-Account had responded to an X-post by Biden with the quote: “If you have to keep saying you’re the boss, you’re not the boss.” The New York real estate mogul Trump himself has been said to have connections to the mob in the past, but this was never proven.

Biden has actually already secured his party’s presidential nomination – he will officially be chosen at the Democratic Party Convention, which will take place in Chicago from August 19 to 22. The US President collected the necessary delegate votes for this in the primaries. He had no significant competition in the primary campaign. If he were to voluntarily throw in the towel or be forced to give up, the Democrats would have to quickly agree on a replacement.