Biden counts his support in the Democratic camp

Photo: Chris Kleponis Agence France-Presse US President Joe Biden heading to the White House on July 7, 2024

Aurélia End – Agence France-Presse in Washington

Published on July 9 Updated yesterday at 1:58 p.m.

• United States

Joe Biden counted his support on Tuesday in the Democratic camp, where the criticism has not yet led to a massive call to withdraw his candidacy, despite doubts about his energy and endurance.

“For now, President Biden is the candidate and we support the Democratic candidate who defeats Donald Trump. It is a fact. This is where we are,” said Peter Aguilar, a California lawmaker, after a meeting of House Democrats.

No delirious enthusiasm therefore, rather pragmatism or even resignation on the part of the party's parliamentarians, who returned to session in Washington this week.

“It's our only candidate” and “I hope we will all support him,” Democratic elected official Jerry Nadler told journalists.

However, according to the American press, until now he was leaning towards withdrawal.

Mike Quigley, one of the first elected Democrats to publicly abandon Joe Biden, has not changed his mind .

“He must withdraw because he cannot win and my colleagues must realize that,” he said, pointing out that the party remained divided.

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Divisions

White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre stressed that the president American had received the support of groups of African-American and Hispanic elected officials, as well as prominent progressive parliamentarians such as Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez.

She assured that he had to accompany him on the ground to “feel” the support the president enjoys from voters.

Karine Jean-Pierre also assured that “yes”, Joe Biden was determined to govern for four years, the duration of a mandate, in the event of victory in November.

In other words, he has no intention of voluntarily giving way down the road to Vice President Kamala Harris.

While his future politics is discussed in the corridors of Congress, Joe Biden plays the international card on Tuesday.

He must deliver a major speech at the opening of the annual summit of NATO in the American capital, and multiply bilateral meetings, including one on Thursday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, all opportunities to gauge his endurance and energy.

The American president repeats, in an increasingly vehement tone, that he will remain in the race, brushing aside concerns about his state of form and mediocre polls.

New York Times

The Democrat is convinced of this, the “grassroots voter” supports him, and the discussions surrounding his candidacy are nothing more than the imagination of political “elites”, big donors and opinion journalists.

The editorial board of the New York Times, which brings together its renowned editorialists and has already called on the 81-year-old Democrat to step down , also did it again on Tuesday.

The Democrats “must tell him that he is making a fool of himself and endangering his entire political heritage”, assert the great writers of the New York daily.

Only four months before the presidential election, forcing Joe Biden to throw in the towel would be a very uncertain and extremely perilous.

Even if it succeeded, the Democrats would have to be able to bring out another candidacy without tearing each other apart, at the latest during the convention of August inauguration.

There would then only be about two months of campaigning left before the presidential election on November 5.

Donald Trump, for his part, is keeping a rather low profile in the storm his rival is going through.

On Tuesday, for example, he was content to relay on his Truth Social platform the polls which give him the advantage.