US President Joe Biden, severely weakened, resumed his campaign on Friday after a debate widely perceived as a failure against Donald Trump. This poor performance raised questions about maintaining his candidacy for a second term, including among his supporters.
Columnist Thomas Friedman, describing himself as a “friend” of Biden, expressed skepticism in the New York Times: “Joe Biden, a good man, a good president, is in no position to run for re-election,” he writes. Maria Shriver, philanthropist and niece of JFK, also shared her disappointment on the social network
Former Democratic senator Claire McCaskill said on MSNBC that Biden had failed to reassure America that he was fit to be president at his age. The campaign’s attempt to justify his performance by saying he had a “cold” failed to convince, and US media are reporting “panic” among Democrats four months before the election.
No major Democratic Party leader has publicly expressed these doubts, and the official line remains to support the octogenarian candidate. Biden continues his campaign, with a planned appearance in North Carolina followed by fundraisers in New York and the Hamptons.
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Donald Trump, meanwhile, chose to post a video of his golf performance on his Truth Social network, indirectly responding to Biden’s mockery during the debate. Trump will be in Chesapeake, Virginia, on Friday.
Vice President Kamala Harris admitted that Biden had a “laborious” start to the debate, but felt he finished “strong.” She will campaign Friday in Nevada.
Read also | Biden against Trump, time for debate
There is speculation about who could replace Biden if he withdraws, including Kamala Harris and governors Gavin Newsom of California and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan. If Biden were to drop out, Democrats would meet in Chicago in August for an “open” convention, a scenario not seen since 1968.
In 1968, the Democratic Party had to find a replacement for President Lyndon B. Johnson after he retired, choosing Hubert Humphrey, who lost the election to Republican Richard Nixon.
Challenge (with AFP)
