President Biden fielded questions at a solo news conference on Thursday evening, which concluded the NATO summit in Washington, D.C. The high-stakes news conference — his first since November — comes shortly after his poorly-received, unsteady performance two weeks ago at the first presidential debate against former President Donald Trump.
Biden’s performance at the debate sparked concern among Democrats on Capitol Hill and raised concerns about whether he should be the party’s 2024 presidential nominee, and reignited questions about Biden’s age and fitness to carry out his campaign and serve another four years. Multiple democratic have publicly called for the President to exit the 2024 race, however Biden has defiantly insisted he is staying the course, telling lawmakers repeatedly he is not going anywhere.
At Thursday night’s conference, Biden stated: “I think I am the best qualified to win. But there are other people who could beat Trump, too. But it would be hard to start from scratch. We talk about money raised. We are not doing bad. We’ve got about $220 million in the bank. We are doing well.”
When asked by reporters whether he should take another neurological exam, Biden said: “I’ve taken three significant and intense neurological exams … as recently as February, and they say I’m in good shape.” Biden defended his neurological health, saying the decisions he makes every day are evidence that he’s healthy. “I’m tested every single day on my neurological capacity. Decisions I make every day.”
However, Biden’s latest statements at Thursday’s conference still did little to persuade fellow Democrats that he is the right candidate to face Donald Trump in November. In a statement after his news conference, Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., called on Biden to “step away” from the presidential race. Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, is the first member of the Connecticut delegation to call for Biden to drop out: “The 2024 election will define the future of American democracy, and we must put forth the strongest candidate possible to confront the threat posed by Trump’s promised MAGA authoritarianism. I no longer believe that is Joe Biden, and I hope that, as he has through a lifetime of public service, he will continue to put our nation first and, as he promised, make way for a new generation of leaders.”
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