Despite dissension within his own party and mounting questions over his capacity to lead the Democrats into the forthcoming US November elections, President Joe Biden remains undeterred. The candidate’s determination to press forward with his campaign rallies only exacerbates existing unease within the Democratic party. A president’s press conference that went live on Thursday evening did little to stifle the creeping apprehension among party members, who are already shaken by Biden’s lacklustre showing in a recent televised debate against Donald Trump.
Hakeem Jeffries, the House’s minority leader, sat down for a late-night discussion with Biden last Thursday. The conversation sought to illuminate the deepening worry among Democrats at Capitol Hill and a grim sense of impending defeat in the November elections. In a letter to colleagues circulated on Friday morning, Jeffries shared his conversation with President Biden. He said, “I conveyed the full spectrum of insights, genuine points of view, and conclusions about the future direction shared recently by the caucus.”
Despite the palpable concern within the party, Biden’s campaign continues to rally. The team remains confident that their candidate can rebound from his current standing, where he’s trailing former president Trump in crucial swing states. Friday saw Biden’s campaign making a stop in Detroit, as efforts to cast his position in a positive light intensify.
A newly released Marist/NPR poll showing Biden leading Trump by a razor-thin margin of 50 per cent to 48 per cent prompted Ron Klain, a top campaign adviser, to urge unity behind the Democratic nominee. Meanwhile, there are indications that senior Democrats are planning alternatives, with reports of former House speaker Nancy Pelosi meeting in private with ex-president Barack Obama throughout the week. Nevertheless, the Biden campaign maintains its conviction that its candidate can navigate this current crisis of confidence.
During his address to NATO leaders this past Thursday, the President showcased his proficiency and achievements in foreign diplomacy and legislation over his five decades of service, but also committed two verbal missteps. He incorrectly referred to Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, as “President Putin”. Then, in a press meeting, he accidentally labelled Kamala Harris as “Vice-president Trump,” instead of her rightful designation. While Biden has a lengthy history of such verbal slips, their consequence and relevance have grown since this incident.
Post address, when reporters asked if the President would yield if his campaign staff provided evidence that other nominees stood better chances, the President responded, “No, unless they told me I couldn’t possibly win. Nobody is suggesting that.” He made this remark dramatically, in a whispered tone. However, several fellow Democrats are suggesting just that, with an increasing number expressing this view after the conference. Moreover, it emerged that the biggest pro-Biden Political Action Committee, Future Forward, is being denied pledges amounting to $90 million by top party donors.
Veteran congressman Jim Clyburn, aged 83, from South Carolina, requested his associates on Friday to “allow Joe Biden to make his own calls about his prospects; he’s earned this right.” Regardless, it’s not an outright endorsement, and the situation illustrates the present deadlock in the party.
Concurrently, Trump is gearing up for the Republican convention in Milwaukee next week, hinting that he may disclose his running mate on Monday.