Photo: Saul Loeb Agence France-Presse Determined to prove his ability to govern, Joe Biden traveled to Pennsylvania on Sunday, one of the crucial states for the November election.
Aurélia End – Agence France-Presse in Washington
Posted at 9:39 a.m. Updated at 11:00 a.m.
- United States
Joe Biden on Monday urged elected officials in a divided Democratic Party to “come together” around his candidacy, and challenged skeptics to confront him at the August inauguration convention, amid calls for a withdrawal of his candidacy continues.
“I am firmly decided to remain in the race,” writes the American president in a letter to Democratic parliamentarians, back in session in Washington after the July 4 national holiday break.
“It’s time to come together,” judges the 81-year-old Democrat.
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His spokeswoman tried to stem a wave of speculation sparked by an article in the New York Times indicating that a specialist in the disease de Parkinson had visited the White House eight times in eight months, between the summer of 2023 and last spring.
“Is the president being treated for Parkinson's disease ? No. […] Is he taking medication for Parkinson’s disease ? No,” said Karine Jean-Pierre, without indicating who this specialist had come to see or for what purpose, hiding behind an obligation of “confidentiality”.
These guys who think I shouldn't run, let them run against me. […] Challenge me to the convention.
—Joe Biden
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Parkinson
She pointed out that Joe Biden had seen a neurologist three times during his annual check-ups of health, the last of which was made public in February, and that he had been tested for various neurodegenerative diseases in this context, with negative results.
Joe Biden told parliamentarians that he was “not blind” to the “concerns” expressed since the televised duel against his 78-year-old opponent, during which he appeared very tired and confused.
But in a call broadcast during the MSNBC morning show, he vehemently attacked the rebels in his own party.
“These guys who think I shouldn’t run, let them run against me. […] Challenge me at the Democratic convention in August, Joe Biden said in a furious tone.
The American president also stressed that he would host a NATO summit in Washington from Tuesday to Thursday, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the defense alliance.
NATO
This will be an opportunity for the leaders of allied countries to also gauge Joe Biden's fitness, even if a spokesperson for the executive American, John Kirby, assures that he has “not detected” any sign of concern on this subject among NATO members.
The American president has also planned to give a rare solo press conference on Thursday.
The octogenarian goes to great lengths to appear dynamic and full of enthusiasm.
For example, on Sunday he continued impromptu speeches and crowd baths in Pennsylvania.
Joe Biden also announced new trips: to Michigan on Friday, a state which, like Pennsylvania, will be decisive in November, then in Texas and Nevada, later.
Fronde
Several elected Democrats now openly believe that it is time for him to throw in the towel. An influential parliamentarian, Adam Smith, judged that Joe Bien should “step aside”, and declared on CNN that “it was now clear [that the president] was not the right person to carry the message of the Democratic Party. »
But others gave him their support, like Steven Horsford, president of the influential group of African-American elected officials in the House of Representatives, but especially Hakeem Jeffries, leader of the Democratic minority in the House.
“I made it clear and publicly the day after the debate that I supported President Joe Biden […]. My position has not changed,” he told CNN.
For Illinois Rep. Jan Schakowsky, the choice is simple: “ fascism or freedom, that’s it.”
The current situation is a “diversion” from more serious problems, he told AFP.
Despite these divisions, will the protest crystallize and lead to a coordinated offensive, publicly supported by very big names in the party, to encourage Joe Biden to give way ?
This would be a very heavy decision in an extremely tight timetable.
D' first, nothing says that the American president would agree to give way.
Then, even if it did, the Democratic Party would risk a chaotic nomination convention in Chicago in August.
Finally, if a new candidate were nominated, he or she would have just over two months to campaign before the November 5 election.