At the end of a NATO summit where US allies expressed their fears of a return of Donald Trump to the White House, President Biden reiterated his intention to stay in the race until the end.
• Read also: Slips of the tongue at the worst possible times: Joe Biden tries to reassure Americans that he is ‘the most qualified’
Is this the right decision? There are no certainties in politics, but following his disastrous debate performance and his inability to regain full control of the situation afterwards, a victory that had looked difficult has become even more unlikely.
Every day, the list of those urging him to give up his position because they believe his victory is downright impossible grows longer.
Legitimate concerns
After the debate, Nancy Pelosi summed up the Democrats’ concern: “Is this an episode or a condition?”
If this is an episode, as Biden and his close associates seem to be convinced, his supporters can hope for a comeback, but more and more observers see it as a condition and expect other poor performances that will reinforce the fears of voters who believe Biden is too old and too weak to remain president until January 2029.
Like many who believe Biden is still capable of being president, I am forced to admit that he probably no longer possesses the communication skills needed to turn the tide against Donald Trump.
The least risk
Concerns about Joe Biden’s age and abilities had long been a risk, but replacing him seemed even riskier.
Since the debate, that is no longer the case. There were fears that a replacement would create divisions in the party, but a consensus could form around Kamala Harris. The vice president is doing better than Biden in several recent polls and she is even ahead of Trump in a few of them.
For now, Joe Biden is convinced that he is best placed to beat Trump, but the task looks set to be difficult.
Against a current
Biden’s media and critics will mercilessly report and amplify his every gaffe and every sign of weakness, while Trump’s crimes, lies, and escapades will be blithely ignored. As evidence, while Biden demonstrated an impressive command of foreign policy issues at his press conference on Thursday, it was his slips and moments of hesitation that made headlines.
Even if internal divisions soon fade, they have given Republicans ammunition. As long as the spotlight is on Biden’s age and apparent fragility, and not on the danger Trump poses, Democrats will be swimming against the tide.
This week, as the Republican convention exalts the cult of Trump, several Democrats will be trying to convince Biden that the risk of defeat would be lower if he stepped down. They will have to be extremely convincing, because Biden shows no sign of wanting to leave, and it will soon be too late.
The number of the week
-0.1%
That’s the monthly inflation rate in the United States in June. The annual rate was 3.0% (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Prices for many essential goods are falling. Normally, this very favorable news would give wings to the campaign of a sitting president, but there’s not much that’s normal these days in American politics.
The quote of the week
“…Vice President Trump…” – Joe Biden, during his July 11 press conference.
After Joe Biden confused Zelensky with Putin, it was Kamala Harris’ turn. Asked by a reporter to comment on her verbal gaffes, Biden replied: “Listen to Trump!” Her retort to Trump on Twitter/X: “By the way, I can see the difference between the two. One’s a prosecutor, the other’s a criminal.” Unfortunately for Biden, her gaffes have gotten more attention than her well-turned one-liners.
The lie detector
“The Democrats won the 2020 election by cheating.” – Donald Trump, in a speech to his supporters last Tuesday (and in all his speeches since 2021).
Still and always FALSE
Even though Donald Trump has managed to convince the majority of his supporters that Joe Biden stole his victory in 2020, and even though all Republican elected officials must profess faith in this lie to avoid being criticized by the leader of their cult, there is no proof that the 2020 election was rigged. Even if no one pays attention to it because of Trump’s constant repetition, it is important to remember that his political comeback since 2021 is essentially based on this “Big Lie.”
Photo of the week
Joe Biden made a slip of the tongue when he called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “Putin.” He immediately corrected himself, but the minor gaffe marred media coverage of a summit that was very positive for its host.
AFP