President Joe Biden on Thursday sought to convince his critics and supporters alike that he can hold on to four more years in office.
Here are some points to note:
A Rorschach test for neurotic Democrats
Biden’s performance is unlikely to change many people’s minds: Democrats calling for him to step down can point to his notable gaffe at the start of the press conference, while his supporters will point to the times he expertly answered a range of questions about foreign policy.
Biden mistakenly referred to Vice President Kamala Harris as former President Donald Trump, exactly the kind of gaffe the White House and campaign would have feared amid growing questions about Biden’s mental competency.
He made a similar mistake the same day at a NATO event, accidentally calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “President Putin” while introducing him.
Biden takes on Trump with gusto
Biden told reporters that foreign leaders he spoke with at the conference had expressed concern about the possibility of Trump being re-elected.
Biden denies concerns about his campaign
“I believe I am the best person qualified to run for president. I beat Trump once and I’m going to beat him again,” Biden said of Trump.
When asked if he might reconsider his position if he was shown data showing Harris’ lead over Trump, he acknowledged the possibility to some extent.
That’s quite different from your answer last week.
Read more for key points.
