'Resignation Rejected' Biden Appeals for Unity at Black Church... Narrows Support Gap in Battleground States

Confirmation of Wanju Intention Amid Candidate Replacement Debate

U.S. President Joe Biden, facing a crossroads after a crushing defeat in the presidential TV debate, visited battleground states to appeal for unity among his traditional base of Black voters.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 7th (local time), President Biden attended a Protestant church service in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he said in a speech, "To be honest before God, if we unite, the future of America could not be more optimistic."

He emphasized, "When we work together, no one can stop us," and added, "The world is watching us. We must unite."

The church Biden visited that day was predominantly attended by Black congregants. Black voters were a key support base who overwhelmingly voted for President Biden in the 2020 presidential election. Conscious of the calls within the Democratic Party for a candidate replacement following his poor performance in the TV debate and the division among his supporters, Biden appealed for unity among Black voters. This is interpreted as a rejection of the possibility of mid-race withdrawal and an emphasis on his intention to complete the race.

During the TV debate held on the 27th of last month, Biden’s stammering and vacant stares heightened concerns about his age and cognitive abilities. Subsequently, demands for his withdrawal within the party and pressure from major donors to stop contributions cornered him.

Amid this, a poll showing that Biden’s approval ratings in battleground states were not significantly damaged despite the debate defeat has drawn attention.

According to a poll conducted by Bloomberg News and Morning Consult from the 1st to the 5th (local time) targeting 4,902 voters in seven battleground states and released on the 6th, President Biden had a 45% approval rating, trailing former President Donald Trump’s 47% by 2 percentage points (margin of error ±3?5 percentage points). Since battleground state polling began in October last year, Biden had consistently trailed in approval ratings, but this is the smallest gap since the polling started. In the same poll conducted in May, Biden had 44% and Trump 48%, a 4 percentage point gap between the two candidates.

Ellie Yochelson, a U.S. political analyst at Morning Consult, said, "This result shows that concerns about President Biden’s mental acuity have increased," but evaluated that "(voters’ concerns) do not reach the level of alarm within the Democratic Party."