Joe Biden has insisted he will press ahead with his re-election bid despite two major blunders at the NATO summit and a growing number of Democrats calling on him to stay on the sidelines.
His appearances at the Washington event were seen as decisive for the 81-year-old after a disastrous debate performance against rival Donald Trump last month.
However, at the end of the three-day summit he mistakenly referred to Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “President Putin.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin,” Biden said, referring to Zelenskyy before correcting himself.
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“President Putin? I’m going to beat President Putin, President Zelenskyy. I’m very focused on beating Putin,” he added.
And to make matters worse, shortly after, while answering questions from reporters, he mixed up the names of Kamala Harris and Trump.
Asked if he had any doubts about his vice president’s ability to take on the top job, he said, “I would not have chosen Vice President Trump to be vice president if she was not qualified to be president.”
Trump intervened live at Biden’s press conference with a social media post of a video clip of the president saying, “Vice President, Mr. Trump.”
Trump added sarcastically: “Good job, Joe!”
Despite the missteps, Biden used media Q&As to forcefully defend his foreign and domestic policies and his bid for re-election.
“I’m not in this for my legacy. I’m in this to complete the work I started,” Biden said.
President Joe Biden had to clear his throat several times during the press conference. Photo: AP Photo/Matt Rourke
Analysis: Biden ruined it with his ‘meme-tastic’ moment with Putin
“My schedule has been full,” he declared.
“So if I slow down and can’t get the job done, that’s a sign that I shouldn’t be doing it. But there’s no indication of that yet, none.”
However, he faces a growing chorus of calls from lawmakers, celebrities and other prominent Democrats to step aside from the 2024 race.
Shortly after Thursday’s appearances, Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said in a statement that Biden should “step aside.”
“The 2024 election will define the future of American democracy, and we must field the strongest candidate possible to confront the threat posed by Trump’s promised MAGA authoritarianism.
“I no longer believe he is Joe Biden, and I hope that, as he has done throughout his lifetime of public service, he will continue to put our nation first and, as he promised, usher in a new generation of leaders.”
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It comes after the Hollywood star. George Clooney ended his supportstating that he is “not the great Joe Biden of 2010.”
In a guest essay in the New York Times, the lifelong Democrat wrote: “I love Joe Biden. As a senator. As vice president and as president. I consider him a friend and I believe in him.
“He believes in his character. He believes in his morals. In the last four years, he has won many of the battles he has faced.
“But the only battle we can’t win is the fight against time. None of us can.”
Meanwhile, NBC News, Sky’s US partner, has reported that the Biden campaign is “quietly assessing the viability” of Vice President Kamala HarrisTrump’s candidacy against Trump in a new head-to-head poll.
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