"Already Defeated Trump and Will Win Again" Biden Dismisses Resignation, Local Reactions (Summary)

"I believe I am the most suitable person to run for president." Despite strong pressure from both inside and outside the Democratic Party to withdraw from the presidential race, U.S. President Joe Biden strongly expressed his intention to complete the election this November. However, fatal verbal slips, such as introducing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as 'President Putin (Russian President Vladimir Putin)' and referring to Vice President Kamala Harris as 'Vice President Trump,' have been repeated, making it unlikely that calls for his withdrawal will easily subside.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Strong 'Withdrawal Calls' Met with Solo Press Conference... "I am the Most Suitable Person to Run for President"

On the 11th (local time), the last day of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit, President Biden held a solo press conference in Washington D.C. and said, "I have already beaten him (Republican candidate and former President Donald Trump) once, and I will beat him again." He emphasized, "There is still a long way to go for the presidential campaign," and "I will keep moving because there is more work to do." He also acknowledged that "there are others within the Democratic Party who can beat former President Trump," but highlighted his own competitiveness as the incumbent president by saying, "Starting from scratch is really difficult."

This press conference was regarded as a critical turning point in deciding Biden's future as the Democratic presidential candidate. Since he has been under pressure to withdraw following the first televised debate last month, this unscripted press conference was an opportunity to demonstrate his resilience and dispel concerns about his age and cognitive decline. The press conference, which started about an hour later than scheduled, lasted about an hour, with approximately 40 minutes dedicated to a Q&A session with reporters.

Opening by emphasizing NATO's importance to U.S. security, President Biden highlighted his role in uniting allies and launched criticism against Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. He said, "Former President Trump has no commitment to NATO. He already told President Putin, 'Do whatever you want,'" and stressed, "I will not withdraw from Ukraine. I will keep NATO strong."

Regarding the televised debate last month, where he stuttered and failed to articulate sentences properly, fueling calls for his withdrawal, he dismissed it as a "mistake." When asked how he would reassure the American people that he would no longer have bad nights, he replied, "The best way to reassure is to show that I am doing my job well," and retorted, "Has anyone passed more important legislation in the past three and a half years?" Concerning recent polls that rated his competitiveness low, Biden downplayed them, saying, "All polling data is premature. The campaign hasn't even started."

Another Fatal Verbal Slip... Introducing Ukrainian President as "Putin," Confusing Trump and Harris

However, about two hours before the press conference that drew attention from inside and outside the political sphere, President Biden was already embroiled in a fatal verbal slip. At a prior event related to Ukraine, he introduced President Zelenskyy by saying, "I want to hand over this stage to the Ukrainian president who has as much courage as decisiveness. Please welcome President Putin." The video was simultaneously broadcast on prime-time news by major U.S. networks such as ABC, CBS, and NBC.

When a related question arose during the press conference, President Biden laughed off the mistake, saying, "I was talking about President Putin." He also tried to change the subject by asking, "Is there anyone who says the NATO summit was not very successful?" However, analysts suggest this could further solidify concerns about his age and cognitive decline. The New York Times (NYT) described it as "a mistake that could not have been more timely."

This was not the only verbal slip by President Biden that day. During the press conference, he also confused Vice President Kamala Harris with former President Trump. When asked if he was worried about whether Vice President Harris could beat former President Trump if she ran for president, he responded, "If I thought she was not qualified to be president, I would not have chosen 'Vice President Trump' as vice president." Shortly after, former President Trump mocked the mistake in a post on Truth Social, saying, "Well done, Joe," to which President Biden replied on Twitter, "I know the difference. One is a prosecutor, and the other is a criminal."

Additionally, President Biden denied reports that he avoids events after 8 p.m. and goes to bed early to perform his presidential duties but admitted, "It would be wise to pace the day a bit more instead of starting at 7 a.m. and finishing at midnight," effectively acknowledging physical strain. He also confirmed that he would undergo neurological testing if medical staff recommended it. He added, "No one is suggesting that now," and said that no matter what he does, "no one will be satisfied" under the current circumstances.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Local Evaluations Show "A Mix of Policy Strengths and Mistakes"

Locally, the press conference was assessed as not containing mistakes severe enough to make withdrawal calls the majority view, but it also failed to overturn such calls.

U.S. CNN described it as "like a Rorschach test (a projective psychological test)," stating, "Those who want President Biden to resign can point to noticeable verbal slips, while his supporters will highlight his adept responses to various foreign policy questions." The NYT reported, "Although his answers sometimes wavered, he showed insight on foreign policy," and "He did not repeat the worst moments like the presidential TV debate two weeks ago."

David Axelrod, former President Barack Obama's campaign strategist, said, "Holding this press conference at NATO was definitely wise," and added, "While other parts were shaky, he was very comfortable on national security issues." Democratic Representative Steve Cohen called the press conference "successful," saying, "He should persuade many people to stay in the presidential race." On the other hand, fellow Democrat and Biden withdrawal advocate Representative Jim Himes judged, "It was not a game changer to dispel withdrawal calls."

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) evaluated it as "a mix of policy strengths and mistakes." The outlet noted, "Scenarios where his mistakes, such as calling Vice President Harris 'Vice President Trump,' affect many voters are possible," but concluded, "Because President Biden was strong in many moments, he cannot be pushed off the cliff as a candidate, though there were enough mistakes that failed to ease concerns."