Joe Biden performed well enough at the crucial Nato press conference – but not so well that he has put an end to the speculation about his candidacy, or to silence the calls for him to drop out of the presidential race.
That’s going to be the problem for him going forward. He is going to be under constant and intense scrutiny at every event. Any slip or mistake will be seized on as evidence that he is not fit or capable enough to be running for a second term.
I texted one of the party insiders who is working hard behind the scenes to pressure Biden into stepping aside.
He said the conversation in all chat groups made up of like-minded Biden sceptics was that whilst the president had done OK it wasn’t enough to change anyone’s mind. He noted that Biden had been mostly been talking about foreign policy on Thursday – something that will make very little difference for the average voter.
There are far more people who want him to step aside than the list of those who have already said so in public. And clearly he has not settled the doubts of those who believe he is on course to lose the election to Donald Trump.
Biden probably did not lose any support but he has not won over his internal critics either. So he will limp on, running a campaign that is aimed at trying to convince his own party to support him.
Not a great place to be in, less than four months before the election.
