US President Joe Biden has a new opportunity this Thursday to try to prove to the American public that he is capable of holding office for another four years after his stunning failure in the presidential debate put the future of his presidency in doubt. But Biden is not known as a master of speeches and his recent housecleaning efforts have fallen short.
Biden, 81, will close the NATO summit in Washington — an event designed to showcase his leadership on the world stage — with a rare solo news conference. His resilience and effectiveness are under scrutiny as never before, and he is working to calm the Democratic Party’s panic about its chances in November.
On many fronts, from job growth to important legislation to expanding the transatlantic alliance, Biden can claim successes during his tenure. But where he has sometimes failed — spectacularly, in the case of the debate — is in a defining part of the presidency that is not listed in the official job description: delivering inspiring oratory that commands the nation’s attention and respect.
Biden has tried to improve his performance since the debate, but his follow-up interview on ABC last week was disappointing. Nothing he has tried seems to stop the bleeding, with more lawmakers calling for it to be removed amid concerns it could return the White House to former Republican President Donald Trump.
Americans tend to view their leaders less for what they do than for how they make them feel, and Biden’s debate disaster has shaken his party to its core.
“The debate was a reminder that you can have as many policies as you want, but what the public sees and hears can matter more,” said Julian Zelizer, a presidential historian at Princeton University.
Pressure mounts for Biden, president and presidential candidate
Joe Biden’s speech at the NATO summit on Thursday marks a decisive moment in his attempt to calm domestic and foreign concerns about his 2024 presidential campaign.
Biden’s campaign released a cheery memo downplaying polls showing him trailing Trump, calling the race “a race with margin of error” in battleground states and saying that “There is no indication” that another Democrat could compete better against the Republican. Ultimately, Biden will have to radically change perceptions when he appears before the assembled media at the conclusion of the NATO summit.
A strong showing today could help Biden, 81, reassure worried Democrats and world leaders and curb infighting over his candidacy. Any stumble will intensify the pressure on him to step aside.
About 56% of Democrats want Biden to step aside, though the president remains tied with Trump at 46% among registered voters nationwide, according to a Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos poll released Thursday. Overall, 85% of adults surveyed said Biden is too old to serve another term.
With information from Bloomberg.
