2024-07-11 13:59:44
Joe Biden, who risks his political survival every time he makes a public appearance, will face a litmus test of his presidential candidacy with a press conference on Thursday that the US president is not too fond of.
The White House promised it would be “a big kid’s press conference,” but gave no further details on how long it would last or how it would unfold.
The odd phrasing was meant to distinguish the meeting from the brief, well-structured question-and-answer sessions that U.S. presidents typically have when meeting with foreign leaders. Among them, a total of four pre-designated reporters asked questions.
At 5:30pm local time (9:30pm GMT) at the conference center hosting this week’s NATO summit in Washington, Biden will have to move quickly and make his point clearly and in a confident voice, without the need for Any notes or writing.
In short, he’s running once morest all odds when he debates Republican rival Donald Trump in the November presidential election on June 27.
The 81-year-old Democrat has been unable to quell the doubts plaguing his party since that disastrous televised duel.
-“For the benefit of the country”-
On Wednesday, Vermont’s Peter Welch became the first Democratic senator to directly ask him to “withdraw his bid for the White House” “in the interest of the country.”
Several elected House representatives followed the same line. They were joined on Wednesday by actor George Clooney, a passionate Democrat and powerful fundraiser.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other party figures urged the US president to “make a decision”. The implication is that the decision you have made, to stay in the game, is not necessarily the right decision.
Democratic senators have scheduled lunch with three of Biden’s closest advisers on Thursday.
Axios quoted researcher Martha Joynt Kumar as saying that Biden has held 36 press conferences since becoming president. Of his six predecessors, only Republican Ronald Reagan did less.
«Friends, it is already 6:00 pm. With all due respect, we will see you at the next (press) conference. OK? In January 2023, this was how Biden ended his marathon two-hour exchange with reporters.
But there is no “next” press conference, or at least not one that long.
– to the bedside –
For example, in September 2023, he gave one during a trip to Vietnam, eventually telling the media that he was “going to go to bed.”
Although Trump has fiercely attacked the media, he has been unable to resist a microphone or camera during his presidency, often spending more than an hour with reporters.
Biden’s press conferences typically take place in two specific contexts: travel abroad or visits by foreign leaders.
For the rest, he was content to occasionally briefly answer a question or two from the small group of reporters gathered for one of his talks or traveling with him.
Thursday’s crucial test comes following a busy few days for the octogenarian president, who is eager to prove his vitality.
In the span of a week, for example, he campaigned in the key states of Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, gave interviews to ABC and attended a NATO summit, where he spoke to military member leaders on Wednesday night A dinner alliance was held.
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