Analysis: Democrats keep piling on as Biden stands firm | CNN Politics

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the challenges facing President Joe Biden's re-election campaign, particularly his age and diminished cognitive abilities, which are seen as major liabilities. It examines Biden's recent news conference, where he struggled to address questions about his fitness for office, and the growing calls from within the Democratic party for him to step aside and allow a new candidate to run. The article also explores the political implications of Biden's potential inability to defeat former President Donald Trump in a rematch.

🙋 Q&A

[01] Biden's News Conference

1. What were the key issues highlighted in Biden's news conference?

• Biden's age and diminished cognitive abilities were a major focus, with reporters questioning his acuity and Biden appearing wounded when confronted with the words of defecting Democrats.
• Biden defended his qualifications to govern and win, but this was undermined by the defection of senior House Democrat Jim Himes and other lawmakers.
• Biden's performance, while not disastrous, revealed him as an 81-year-old "robbed of his quintessential bombast and the twinkle in an Irish eye."
• Biden struggled with verbal slips, such as mixing up the names of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as referring to "Vice President Trump" instead of Kamala Harris.

2. How did Biden's news conference performance impact his re-election campaign?

• The news conference highlighted Biden's age and cognitive decline, which are seen as major liabilities for his campaign.
• It confirmed the negative impression that many voters already have about Biden's fitness for office, making it harder for Democrats to argue that he is capable of serving a second term.
• The performance has led to growing calls from within the Democratic party for Biden to step aside and allow a new candidate to run, with some lawmakers expressing concern that Biden's candidacy could drag down the party's chances in the midterm elections.

[02] Democratic Party's Response

1. What is the Democratic party's response to Biden's struggles?

• Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has suggested that the end of the NATO summit should usher in a period of reflection on Biden's campaign, and she has reportedly spoken privately with former President Barack Obama about the future of Biden's campaign.
• Many Democrats are looking to Pelosi and Obama to help end the crisis that Biden's candidacy presents for the party, with some expressing concern that Biden's continued candidacy could jeopardize the party's chances in the midterm elections.
• Some Democrats, such as Rep. Steve Cohen, have called for the party to stop "fantasy games" and unite to beat Trump, while others, like Rep. Jim Himes, have questioned whether Biden's campaign can effectively tell the story against Trump.

2. What are the key concerns expressed by Democrats about Biden's candidacy?

• The primary concern is that Biden is almost certain to lose to former President Donald Trump, which would open the way for an "unfettered MAGA movement monopoly on power in Washington aided by a conservative Supreme Court."
• There is a sense that Biden is "incapable of running a presidential campaign" and that his candidacy risks taking the House and Senate down with him.
• Democrats are worried that Biden's continued candidacy could jeopardize the party's chances in the midterm elections, with one person directly involved in Biden's re-election effort telling CNN that "we are doomed if he runs."