President Biden delivered a forceful defense during a closely watched news conference of his foreign and domestic policies and declared “I’m not in this for my legacy. I’m in this to complete the job.”
Early on the president made a flub when he mixed a reference to Vice President Kamala Harris—but for nearly an hour President Biden took on intense questioning that would challenge the youngest of minds and clearly demonstrated his ability to lead the nation.
Now it will be up to the nation to determine if Biden has done enough to alter the disturbing cascade of calls on him to step aside.
President Biden is digging in and insisting that he will not only remain in the race—but will win against Donald Trump come November.
Northeast Valley News asked Valley voters after viewing the press conference their impression of Biden’s performance.
Mark Stein, a registered Democrat who watched the press conference with several friends told Northeast Valley News that he was “surprisingly pleased” with Biden’s delivery and his ability to discern the questions that were rapidly lobbed his way.
“I would like to see Trump try and take on the same kind of foreign policy questions that Biden did. This would have been an entirely different news cycle if Donald Trump had to try and answer these questions—can you even imagine?”
Marsha Vilander an Arizona native and a full-time administrator of Education at Arizona State University told Northeast Valley News in an online question that she just wants the infighting to stop among elected Democrats and other high profile leaders and unite against the “real enemy.”
“The bigger issue at hand is we are fighting relentlessly against an autocracy. We must keep our eyes on a victory over Donald Trump, MAGA and their dictator layout, Project 2025. We have to unite as a country and keep their abuse of power and lawlessness out of our White House. Nothing is more important,” Vilander said.
Vilander may be on to something as Northeast Valley News viewed many online comments post press conference and found that the majority of Democrats and even some Independents, Republicans and undecideds want the bickering and wrangling to stop and desire support behind Biden. The longer the infighting continues, the less the Democrats are presenting a united front against Donald Trump.
Biden even offered to take a neurological assessment before the election if his doctors recommend it but reminded the public that he took an assessment in February and the results were good and made public.
While several democrats have called for President Biden to step aside— after tonight’s press conference others were relieved by Biden’s performance.
“Honestly, could the other guy have done any of that?” Senator Chris Coons of Delaware, one of Mr. Biden’s closest allies on Capitol Hill, said of Mr. Trump in an interview. “Anyone concerned about his ability to lead and govern should be reassured.”
Friday will determine whether others will join in the call for Biden to step down or determine after today’s presser that the president delivered and unite behind him.
On CNN, Representative Steve Cohen of Tennessee said Mr. Biden had “convinced a lot of people he should stay in the race.”
“Much (too much) will be made of Pres Biden flubbing names. But his substance in that presser matters,” Patrick Gaspard, the president of the liberal think tank Center for American Progress, wrote on social media. “His cogent responses on China and Russia. His centering of need for new industrial policy. Even policy points that I might disagree with were robust! Substance matters.”
In a text message, Representative Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania — a Biden ally — said the president “showed his command of the issues and policy.”
Mr. Biden’s aides, reportedly, took a victory lap.
