On US Independence Day, Biden candidacy faces crisis

WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden took to the airwaves on July 4 fighting to show he is fit to run for reelection and serve another term, trying to douse Democratic panic triggered by his disastrous debate with Donald Trump.

As Americans gather for their Independence Day holiday, concern has swelled over the 81-year-old incumbent´s mental acuity, with rumblings within his party about finding a replacement candidate before November´s election.

And with polls showing Republican Trump extending a narrow lead after last week´s televised showdown, Biden finds himself under pressure as never before to demonstrate his capacity to lead.

“I had a bad night,” Biden acknowledged to Wisconsin´s Civic Media in a radio interview recorded the day before it aired Thursday.

“I screwed up. I made a mistake,” he added. “That´s 90 minutes on stage. Look at what I´ve done in 3.5 years.”

The Biden campaign has been desperate to reassure Democratic donors, voters and lawmakers that the president´s dismal performance against Trump was a one-off.

He repeated that message in an emergency meeting on Wednesday with Democratic governors, who pledged their continued support, attendees said afterward.

The White House has insisted Biden is “absolutely not” stepping down as the party´s presidential nominee.

Biden himself sought to appear determined he was staying in the race, telling his radio interviewer: “When you get knocked down, you just get back up.”