By Steve Holland and Jeff Mason
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Chairman Joe Bidenwho is trying to defuse the political crisis he has caused by his poor debate performance, will participate in a televised interview on Friday. We will be watching closely to see if his mental acuity wanes.
Biden is traveling to Madison, Wisconsin, to mobilize Democratic voters. During the trip, he will be interviewed by ABC News, part of a series of events over the next week aimed at showing Americans that he still has the energy to take on the Republican nominee Donald Trump in the elections of November 5.
While Biden insists he is staying in the race and that his health is not deteriorating, he is under enormous pressure to step aside and clear a path for his 59-year-old Vice President, Kamala Harris.
Some donors are making their displeasure loud and clear, cutting funding or looking to potential Democratic alternatives. Even some of Biden’s closest political allies, such as former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have raised questions about his health.
Several polls show that Trump has had a significant lead over the Democratic president since the debate. A Reuters/Ipsos poll also shows that one in three Democrats wants Biden to withdraw from the race.
The White House has attributed Biden’s inconsistent performance to a cold, and Biden himself has cited jet lag from back-to-back trips to Europe.
The ABC interview provides an opportunity for Biden to make impromptu remarks, as he relies largely on a teleprompter for his public remarks.
During Thursday night’s Fourth of July commemoration on the South Lawn of the White House, Biden responded quickly when someone shouted at him to “keep up the fight.”
“You got me, man,” Biden responded. “I ain’t going nowhere.”
Harris is a strong contender to take his place if Biden withdraws, sources say. But his allies are confident he can still assuage concerns from voters and donors.
Trump’s campaign and some of his allies have launched a preemptive political attack on Harris, attempting to discredit her amid rumors that she could ultimately replace Biden as the Democratic nominee.
Biden’s campaign shows no signs of slowing down, though Trump’s team has outpaced the team in fundraising.
The campaign announced it would spend $50 million on a media campaign in July, “including strategic investments around major events that draw large and politically diverse audiences, such as the 2024 Olympics and the Republican National Convention.”
Trump, 78, who made multiple false statements on the debate stage in Atlanta, falsely claimed in a video circulating on social media that he had driven Biden out of the race. He made disparaging comments about Harris in the same video, which the Trump campaign backed.
(Reporting by Steve Holland and Jeff Mason; Editing by Ross Colvin and Sonali Paul)
