Joe Biden is refusing to drop out of the presidential race despite his catastrophic showing in last night's debate with Donald Trump,with advisers claiming he is gunning for a second debate later this year ahead of the November elections.
The torturous 90-minute debate saw the president frequently lose his train of thought,trail off mid-sentence and mix up topics,prompting a cacophony of calls from politicians and pundits on both sides of the aisle for the 81-year-old to step down.
But a presidential adviser told CNN this morning that not only is Biden refusing to step aside as the Democratic candidate,he is committed to standing toe-to-toe with his Republican rival on the debating stage again in September.
Such a prospect will undoubtedly terrify Democrats,with one donor telling POLITICO last night that his showing was 'so bad that no one will pay attention to Trump's lies,' and that 'Biden needs to drop out. No question about it.'
A senior Democrat strategist said: 'Biden is about to face a crescendo of calls to step aside. Parties exist to win - this man on the stage with Trump cannot win,' in a damning interview with the New York Times.
And former Republican strategist-turned-Democrat Steve Schmidt said: 'Biden lost the country tonight,and will not get it back. If Trump is a threat and democracy is on the line,then Biden must step aside.'
But some key Democrats have expressed support - albeit measured - for the aged president,among them Hillary Clinton who tweeted: 'The choice in this election remains very simple. It's a choice between someone who cares about you -your rights,your prospects,your future - versus someone who's only in it for himself. I'll be voting Biden.'
During the debate,Trump was seen contorting his face in shock and derision at Biden's confused meandering and frequent gaffes in the debate,at one point telling millions of Americans watching at home: 'I really don't know what he [Biden] just said.
'He's not equipped to be president. You know it and I know it.'
ABC News is set to host the second debate on Tuesday,September 10,but it's hard to see how the hapless,weary Biden would be able to rise to the challenge - no matter how much his wife Jill continues to push him.
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Joe Biden and Donald Trump last night clashed during a chaotic first debate of the 2024 US election campaign
10. January 6 riots
Trump lied about his role in the Jan. 6,2021,attack by his supporters on the U.S. Capitol,and tried to deflect by pivoting to other issues.
Pressed on his role,he said he encouraged people to act 'peacefully and patriotically,' then changed the subject to launch an attack on former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi,D-Calif.
He said Biden ought to 'be ashamed' for the way the Jan. 6 defendants have been handled.
Trump,who has floated the idea of pardons for the rioters,suggested his supporters who stormed the Capitol were actually peaceful and are now being politically persecuted.
In fact,the rioters engaged in hand-to-hand combat with police and used makeshift weapons to attack officers. More than 1,400 people have been charged with federal offenses stemming from the riot,and more than 1,000 of them have pleaded guilty or been convicted at trial.
'The only person who's on this stage that's a convicted felon is the man I'm looking at right now,' Biden said of his rival.
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