Joe Biden back on the campaign trail: “I know I’m not a young man anymore” | US elections 2024

It was a combative Joe Biden who took to the podium on Friday at a campaign rally in Raleigh, North Carolina. The goal: to pick up the pieces after a poor performance in the debate the day before against Donald Trump, an evening that several analysts described as catastrophic for the American president.

I know I’m not a young man anymorehe confessed to his supporters. I don’t walk as easily as I used to. I don’t talk as easily as I used to. I don’t debate as well as I used to.he said, referring to his many language blunders and misdirections of the previous day. This time he was assisted by a teleprompter.

But here’s what I know. I know how to tell the truth. I know how to tell right from wrong. I know how to do this job, and I know how to get things done.he added to thunderous applause from the crowd.

I give you my word from Biden. I wouldn’t run again if I didn’t believe, with all my heart and soul, that I can do this job.

In his speech, the president often raised his voice against his opponent Donald Trump. He repeatedly accused him of lying to American voters during Thursday night’s debate. He said I quadrupled the taxes [des Américains]. Where the hell was he? That’s a complete lie.Mr. Biden launched. I think that [Donald Trump] set a new record for the number of lies told in a debate.

He also repeated many of the attack lines he made in the previous day’s debate that had struggled to land. For example, Biden said, does Donald Trump have a moral compass? of an alley cat.

The New York Times calls on Biden to step down

The editorial board of the prestigious American newspaper New York Times called on President Joe Biden on Friday to withdraw from the race for the White House.

In an editorial published Friday evening and titled to serve the country, President Biden must leave the race at the White House, the New York Times described Joe Biden as the shadow of a leaderafter the 81-year-old president failed his own test.

Trump began to close down. But the greatest public service that could be rendered today by Mr.Biden would announce that he will not run for re-election”,”text”:”Mr. Biden has been an admirable president. Under his leadership, the nation prospered and began to address a series of long-term challenges, and the wounds opened by Mr. Trump began to heal. But the greatest public service that Mr. Biden could provide today would be to announce that he will not run for re-election.”}}”>Mr. Biden has been an admirable president. Under his leadership, the nation has prospered and begun to address a series of long-term challenges, and the wounds opened by Mr. Trump have begun to heal. But the greatest public service Mr. Biden could perform today would be to announce that he will not seek reelection.wrote the New York Times.

Joe Biden’s performance in the CNN debate has caused panic in the ranks of the Democratic Party, multiple sources have told US media. With four months to go before the election, several have already raised the idea of ​​replacing him as candidate for the Democratic convention, scheduled for July.

But Joe Biden has once again affirmed that he has no intention of throwing in the towel, and that he intends to fight until the end.

His opponent, Donald Trump, said at a rally in Virginia that he would not didn’t believe that Joe Biden was going to give up his seat. Many people say he should leave the race, but I don’t believe so, because he’s doing better in the polls than all the other Democrats we’re talking about.said the former president to the crowd of his supporters.

The question all voters should be asking is not whether Joe Biden can survive a 90-minute debate, but whether America can survive four more years of Joe Biden in the White House.

If Joe Biden did not hesitate to attack Donald Trump on Friday, his rival returned the favor. He is the worst, most corrupt, most incompetent president this country has ever known.he said.

Joe Biden’s problem is not his age. He has no problem, really, except his incompetence.he added.

Support, criticism

Joe Biden was still able to count on the support of former President Barack Obama on Friday, who tried to reassure Democratic supporters in a message published on X.

Bad debate evenings happen. Believe me, I know somethingthe former president wrote.

But this election is still a choice between someone who has fought for ordinary people his whole life and someone who only thinks about himself.Mr. Obama added, saying that Thursday evening hadn’t changed anything about that.

Vice President Kamala Harris, whose name has been mentioned by some as a candidate to succeed Joe Biden, sought to temper the knee-jerk reactions to the president’s performance. Although she acknowledged that Mr. Biden had a “laborious” debate, she felt that he had finished the evening strong and had held his own against an opponent prone to lies and verbal bloviation.

For the moment, no Democratic elected official has publicly discussed Mr. Biden’s withdrawal. Behind the scenes, the names of Gavin Newsom, governor of California, or Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, are being rumored as potential relievers.

Joe Biden is now in New York, for a ceremony commemorating one of the very first mobilizations LGBT from the United States in June 1969 and for a meeting with donors.

On Saturday, he will raise funds in the very chic Hamptons resort area, an opportunity also to take the pulse of his financial supporters, in an extremely expensive electoral race.

Audience ratings down sharply

Small consolation for the Democratic president: Thursday evening’s debate attracted far fewer viewers than usual.

According to figures made public on Friday, this first contest between the candidates brought together 47.9 million Americans in front of their televisions, all channels combined. This is a decline of 35% compared to the 2020 debate, watched by 73.1 million spectators.

However, it is still the biggest television event of 2024 so far, outside of major sporting events, according to CNN.

With information from Agence France-Presse