For some Democrats, President Biden's recent press conference, while managing to exceed some expectations, did little to salvage his reelection campaign. His performance, marred by numerous gaffes, has led to calls for a change in leadership.
Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, voiced his concerns following Biden's unscripted and often awkward interaction with the press. Himes emphasized the risk of relying on an 81-year-old president prone to off-script mishaps.
“Imagine that three months from now, we get another performance like there was in the debate right before the election. Do you want to take that risk? I don't,” Himes told CNN's Kaitlan Collins after Biden's appearance.
He made similar remarks on other cable news channels, as reported by Breitbart:
On Thursday's broadcast of MSNBC's “Alex Wagner Tonight,” House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) stated that “one of the really kind of sick aspects of this moment is that we are watching every speech, every rally, every debate and saying, how did he do today? And that's just not the way to think about the presidency of the United States.” And the issue is if President Joe Biden is “able to be up three days straight and to make all of the correct decisions” in a job that requires near perfection.
Himes said, “[I]t's really not about tonight. And one of the really kind of sick aspects of this moment is that we are watching every speech, every rally, every debate and saying, how did he do today? And that's just not the way to think about the presidency of the United States.”
Himes further stated that foreign policy is Biden's strong suit, and he showed that in his press conference earlier that night.
Despite the president's ability to discuss his foreign policy agenda in depth, his “big boy” press conference was riddled with issues. He persistently mumbled, lost his train of thought, contradicted himself and frequently used filler words like “anyway.” Most notably, he confused Vice President Kamala Harris with Donald Trump.
Just an hour prior, Biden introduced Volodymyr Zelensky as “President Putin” during the closing session of this week's NATO summit.
Key Takeaways
- Gaffe-Prone Performance: Biden's frequent missteps during the press conference raised concerns among Democrats.
- Call for Change: Rep. Jim Himes highlighted the risks of Biden's continued candidacy. Other Democrats, even steadfast supporters of the president begrudgingly acknowledged he's changed.
- Foreign Policy Discussion: Although Biden could elaborate on his foreign policy, his delivery was problematic.
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