Analysis: Fierce pressure mounts on Biden ahead of critical television interview Friday | CNN Politics

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the growing challenges and scrutiny facing President Joe Biden, particularly in the aftermath of his perceived poor debate performance, which has raised concerns about his capacity to serve a second term. It examines the White House's attempts to address these concerns, the potential political fallout, and the upcoming critical test of Biden's ability to stem panic within the Democratic Party.

🙋 Q&A

[01] Biden's Debate Performance and Its Aftermath

1. What were the key issues raised about Biden's debate performance?

• The debate performance raised concerns about Biden's capacity to serve a second term, pitching his reelection campaign into an existential crisis.
• The debate debacle has forced voters to consider not just the successes of his administration, but also whether they can imagine an even slower and more fragile president being in office years from now.
• Biden's performance appeared to confirm the views of overwhelming majorities of voters that the president, at 81, is too old to be running for a second term.

2. How has the White House responded to the fallout from the debate?

• The White House's attempts to explain away the president's poor debate performance have had the opposite effect, with various explanations being offered, such as overloading by the debate prep team, jet lag, and a cold.
• The White House's credibility took another hit when it said that the president had in fact seen a physician in the days following the debate, despite earlier statements that he had not been examined since his last full physical in February.

3. What are the potential political implications of Biden's debate performance?

• The fallout from the debate is potentially very damaging, as it has obliterated, at least temporarily, the comparison the Biden campaign had long hoped to draw with Trump.
• The debate performance has raised intense behind-the-scenes anxiety among Democratic party lawmakers, who fear the president's problems could drag them down and hand the White House, as well as the Senate and the House of Representatives, to Republicans.

[02] Biden's Upcoming Interview and Potential Responses

1. What is the significance of Biden's upcoming ABC interview?

• The ABC interview with George Stephanopoulos is one of the campaign's own self-imposed tests for Biden to dispel the image of a shaky and at times confused president that was seared into the minds of 50 million viewers at the CNN debate.
• Any sign of compromised mental sharpness in the interview could deal another blow to the campaign.
• Democrats will also want Biden to make a powerful case for a second term and to adequately prosecute his argument against Trump, both of which he failed to deliver during the debate.

2. How have some Democrats responded to Biden's perceived issues?

• At least two Democratic lawmakers have so far called for Biden to step aside before the Democratic National Convention in August.
• There is intense behind-the-scenes anxiety among party lawmakers who fear the president's problems could drag them down and hand the White House, as well as the Senate and the House of Representatives, to Republicans.
• Even Democrats who are standing firm behind Biden want him to do more to prove to voters that he is up to the job of a second White House term.

3. How has the Trump campaign responded to Biden's struggles?

• The Trump campaign has started to augment its attacks on Biden with new attempts to single out the vice president, in apparent preparation for a potential switch of Democratic nominees.
• Trump has also offered to debate Biden one-on-one without moderators, in an attempt to capitalize on the perceived issues with Biden's performance.