Biden says people are trying to ‘push’ him out of the race. Here’s the latest.
From the NY Times 7/5
President Biden just wrapped a brief but animated and defiant speech at a campaign event in Wisconsin, asserting that he would continue in the race and describing former President Donald J. Trump as a liar and threat to democracy.
“I’m staying in this race,” Mr. Biden told the crowd, to cheers. “I’m not letting one 90-minute debate wipe out three-and-a-half years of work.” Mr. Biden's speech in Wisconsin is the first of two appearances on Friday that will be closely watched as doubts among Democrats intensify about his ability to beat former President Donald J. Trump. ABC News will air an interview with Mr. Biden on Friday evening that will be recorded after the speech.
After Mr. Biden’s shaky debate performance last week, many Democrats have urged him to prove to voters that he is fit for the job by limiting his reliance on teleprompters, engaging in unscripted conversations on the campaign trail and agreeing to more high-profile interviews with seasoned journalists. But Mr. Biden and his team limited his public appearances for much of the week.
For the president, who has publicly insisted that he will stay in the race, his appearances on Friday and over the weekend could be make-or-break for his campaign.
Here’s what to know:
Shoring up support in Wisconsin: Mr. Biden’s afternoon speech in Madisonwas his first public campaign engagement since three House Democrats publicly called for him to drop out of the race, a small contingent adding their voice to a growing chorus of activists and donors. (Representative Seth Moulton of Massachusetts is the latest, The Times confirmed Friday.) Democrats fretting about his chances will take notice of any mistakes or flubs. Mr. Biden may also participate in more casual, unannounced stops during his time in Wisconsin, a crucial battleground state.
A high-stakes interview: Mr. Biden’s sit-down with George Stephanopoulos of ABC News will be his first major interview since the debate intensified long-simmering fears about his fitness for office. He will almost surely face tougher questions than he did during a set of friendly interviews that aired Thursday with two Black talk radio hosts, during which he stumbled on his words and made a pair of verbal gaffes. The full ABC interview, taped earlier on Friday, will be broadcast at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
A make-or-break few days: Top allies of Mr. Biden and even, privately, the president himself have acknowledged that he must salvage his candidacy in the coming days. In addition to his Wisconsin event and the ABC interview, Mr. Biden will deliver a speech in another swing state, Pennsylvania, on Sunday. His stamina will be studied with concern. During a meeting with Democratic governors on Wednesday, Mr. Biden said that he needed to get more sleep and work fewer hours, including curtailing events scheduled after 8 p.m.
Biden’s new ad blitz: The Biden campaign said it would spend $50 million on advertising in battleground states this month, with television, radio and digital spots focusing on its key issues: abortion, economic fairness and democracy. Mr. Biden’s team spent the same on advertising in June, but his poll numbers did not go up.
Trump weighs in: Mr. Trump has largely laid low this week, preferring to let the spotlight shine on Mr. Biden’s crisis uninterrupted. But he posted a July 4 message on social media, deriding Mr. Biden, whom he accused of having “choked like a dog during the debate,” and Vice President Kamala Harris, who he suggested could replace Mr. Biden on the Democratic ticket. Mr. Trump’s next scheduled public campaign appearance is a rally in Florida on Tuesday.
I’m gonna beat him in 2020!!!
Today Biden was interviewed. He was as asked if he’s seen a replay of the debate. His response: “uh, no…I don’t think I’ve seen any replay of the debate.”