By Mark Sumner
Daily Kos Staff
President Joe Biden faced off with a large number of journalists on Thursday afternoon in his first press conference following a troubling performance in the first presidential debate. With a growing number of Democrats in Congress either calling for Biden to withdraw as a candidate or expressing concern about his ability to defeat Donald Trump in the fall, this press conference took on an outsized importance for the 2024 election.
Biden opened his appearance with a clear rundown of the good news of the day: an economy that just keeps getting better, the success of the just-concluded NATO summit, and the improving chances for peace in Gaza. Throughout this opening, Biden was strong in describing the importance of NATO to both Europe and the United States. He also pointed out the threat that Trump represents through his efforts to undermine the NATO alliance and appease Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.
As Biden moved on to the question-and-answer portion of the press conference, most of the queries were—as expected—about the questions that have swirled around his candidacy since the debate, and whether he felt that Vice President Kamala Harris is prepared to step into the lead. Biden was firm in stating that Harris was completely prepared to be president “or I wouldn’t have picked her,” but was consistent in defense of his ability to do the job.
If I were Biden at this conference right now, I’d say something like, “You know, my memory must be going because I swear I’ve answered the same question at least four or five times.”
— Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox.bsky.social) Jul 11, 2024 at 4:49 PM
Biden spoke from the Walter E. Washington Convention Center after a day in which he held a series of meetings with leaders of other NATO countries. Earlier in the day, he fumbled the names of Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which became the subject of one of the questions during the press conference. But Biden quickly corrected himself at the earlier meeting and was insistent that the NATO meeting had been highly successful. He also noted that European leaders were concerned about the possibility of another Trump term and anxious that Biden remain president.
Later in the press conference, Biden was asked questions about both the war in Ukraine and the involvement of China. He provided long, complex answers, detailing how China and North Korea were involved in Ukraine and the threat that China represents in the Pacific. Biden’s knowledge of the military aspects and the economic implications was clear, and he maintains a full grasp on a very complex situation.
Biden elaborated on an idea he brought to the NATO summit for improvements in industrial policy in the West, saying that it came as a surprise to some members of the alliance how they had fallen behind in the capacity to produce items such as vehicles and artillery.
Biden also answered detailed questions on Gaza, describing the challenges of dealing with a conservative government in Israel that wanted to move aggressively, negotiating with unreliable Hamas leadership, and grappling with a shifting collection of neighboring nations whose positions are never certain.
“Don’t make the same mistake America made after Bin Laden,” Biden said he told Israeli leaders in an answer that gave more insight into the U.S.’s role in negotiations. Biden expressed disappointment over his inability to convince the Israeli government to follow his advice in every instance, spoke to the declining support for Hamas, and provided a powerful, nuanced, and thorough answer.
In general, he spoke with the kind of authority and broad knowledge that Trump could never match. The president also talked about what he still wants to do with such passion and obvious desire that it is clear he has no interest in stepping away from this fight.
“I’ve got to finish this job,” Biden insisted. “I’ve got to finish this. Because there’s so much at stake.”
Biden was also very clear in saying that no matter what he does, he knows it won’t be enough to satisfy his critics.
He also had some fun with a question about whether he would allow his delegates to vote for someone else if they had doubts.
“Sure,” said Biden, before adding, “That’s not going to happen” in a stage whisper. He followed that up by saying that, while there were other people he believed could beat Trump, he believes he is best suited to win the election.
There were moments in which he misspoke, and others in which he paused or stumbled, but there were none in which Biden seemed to lose the thread or demonstrate less than authoritative knowledge on a series of complex topics. If anything, Biden’s issue on Thursday evening was the same as it has been through his career in both the White House and the Senate: a mind bursting with knowledge and a mouth that sometimes can’t keep up with his desire to share what he knows.
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