WASHINGTON, July 5 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US President Joe Biden vowed to keep fighting despite calls for him to bow out of the 2024 election race, saying at an Independence Day celebration at the White House he’s “not going anywhere.”
The 81-year-old president, responding to a supporter who told him to “keep up the fight,” said: “You got me man. I’m not going anywhere.”
A little later, Biden addressed the crowd again before the traditional fireworks display.
“We got to do what our founders did — show the world we’re a nation of dignity, honour, and just devotion to one another,” he said, in rare remarks without a teleprompter.
However more calls continued to come in on Thursday for Biden to step aside, heaping pressure on his upcoming engagements which include a prime time interview with ABC News on Friday and a press conference during the Nato summit next week in Washington.
British magazine The Economist became the latest major publication urging Biden to withdraw, joining The New York Times and Boston Globe editorial boards.
Meanwhile, Congressman Seth Moulton of Massachusetts became the third sitting Democratic lawmaker to call for the president to be replaced on the ticket.
“Biden has done enormous service to our country, but now is the time for him to follow in one of our founding father, George Washington’s footsteps, and step aside to let new leaders rise up and run against Donald Trump,” Moulton told radio station WBUR.
As the president struggles to overcome his disastrous debate performance, Kamala Harris, the nation’s first female vice president, has suddenly been forced into the spotlight.
The 59-year-old former California prosecutor — who introduced Biden on stage Thursday evening — has been performing a delicate act since the debate.
She has offered unwavering support for Biden in public but is standing by as a leading contender to replace him if he steps aside.
Trump, who has remained largely — and uncharacteristically — quiet as Biden’s crisis deepens, broke his silence Thursday in fierce fashion, unleashing attacks on Biden and Harris in a leaked video that he then posted on his own Truth Social account.
“I kicked that old broken down pile of crap” during the debate, Trump, sitting in a golf cart, says in the video.
“He’s quitting the race. Yep, I got him out of the race. And that means we have Kamala,” Trump says. “She’s so bad, she’s so pathetic.”
He later challenged Biden to another debate, saying it would prove “prove his ‘competence,’ or lack thereof.”
“Let’s do another Debate, but this time, no holds barred — An all on discussion, with just the two of us on stage, talking about the future of our Country,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.
He said it would be an even a higher ratings bonanza than the first debate and that he was ready “ANYTIME, ANYWHERE, ANYPLACE!!!” — NNN-AGENCIES
