President Joe Biden said Thursday that nothing would make him reconsider his decision to continue running in the 2024 presidential election unless poll data It means “you can’t win”.
“No one is saying that,” Biden murmured at a news conference in Washington, D.C. “There are no polls saying that.”
Biden’s statement came in response to a reporter who asked him if his campaign “came back and showed you Vice President Kamala Harris’ numbers, would he perform better than former President Donald Trump” Better”, whether he will reconsider his vow to stay in the campaign.
Biden began the news conference after seeing more Democrats in Congress calling on him to drop out of the race.
The calls were prompted by his poor performance in a debate with Republican Trump in late June, in which Biden sometimes said the wrong words and lost his train of thought, raising concerns that his mental faculties were declining.
US President Biden attends a press conference during the NATO 75th Anniversary Summit on July 11, 2024 in Washington, the United States.
Leah Millis | Reuters
Biden was asked during the meeting if his remarks would be made public Democratic National Convention Delegates “voted their conscience,” setting the stage for the first hotly contested battle for the Democratic National Convention’s presidential nomination in more than fifty years.
“Obviously, they’re free to do whatever they want,” Biden responded.
“But I had overwhelming support. Overwhelming support. I won… I forgot how many votes I won in the primary, overwhelming.”
“So what if tomorrow I suddenly show up at the convention and everyone says we want someone else?” Biden said. “This is the democratic process.”
The president then added in a low voice: “That’s not going to happen.”
Biden called Harris “Trump’s Vice President” at the same meeting. Earlier on Thursday, he mistakenly introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at a NATO summit, calling him “President Putin” – the name of the Russian president who invaded Ukraine in 2022 , began the ongoing war against Ukraine.
Shortly after the press conference, Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said Biden should drop out of the race. During the meeting, Biden spent about seven minutes giving rambling, confusing answers about China.
“President Joe Biden is an outstanding leader with unparalleled public service, undeniable accomplishments and unconditional patriotism,” Himes said in a statement. “It is because of these characteristics and Given this legacy, I hope President Biden withdraws from the presidential race.”
“The 2024 elections will determine the future of American democracy, and we must field the strongest candidates possible to counter the threat posed by Trump’s promised MAGA authoritarianism,” Himes said.
“I no longer believe that’s Joe Biden.”
Rep. Scott Peters, D-Calif., joined the call Thursday night, saying: “The stakes are high and we are on a path to failure.”