Joe Biden’s chaotic performance against Donald Trump in the presidential debate has shaken his supporters. The editorial board of the prestigious American newspaper New York Times called on the outgoing president to withdraw from the race for the White House on Friday, June 28.
In an op-ed published Friday night and titled “To Serve the Country, President Biden Must Leave the Race” for the White House, the New York Times described Joe Biden as “a shadow of a leader,” after the 81-year-old president “failed his own test.”
Unrecognizable, Joe Biden swallowed words, did not finish certain sentences and stared into space during the televised duel Thursday against his Republican predecessor. “Mr. Biden has been an admirable president. Under his leadership, the nation has prospered and begun to address a series of long-term challenges, and the wounds opened by Mr. Trump have begun to heal. But the greatest service public that Mr. Biden could make today would be to announce that he will not run for re-election,” wrote the New York Times. “The burden is on the Democratic Party to put the interests of the nation above the ambitions of any one man,” the newspaper argued. Its editorial board is comprised of prominent columnists and is supposed to reflect the values of the outlet.
Obama and Clinton’s support
Members of the Democratic Party have also questioned the American president’s ability to assume a new mandate, which has sparked a storm within the party, but Joe Biden assured Friday that he could “do the job”, receiving in the process the support of two of his predecessors Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.
“Bad debates happen,” brushed off the former senator from Illinois, assuring that this election “remained a choice” between someone “who fought all his life for ordinary people” and Donald Trump , “who only cares about himself.” The Biden camp therefore wants to believe that by November, the terrible impression left Thursday evening could fade, while the “lies” spouted by Donald Trump and the concerns for American democracy would take over.