U.S. President Joe Biden worked forcefully Friday to quell Democratic anxieties over his unsteady showing in his debate with former President Donald Trump, as elected members of his party closed ranks around him in an effort to shut down talk of replacing him atop the ticket.
Biden's halting delivery and meandering comments, particularly early in the debate, fueled concerns from even members of his own party that at age 81 he's not up for the task of leading the country for another four years. It created a crisis moment for Biden's campaign and his presidency, as members of his party flirted with potential replacements, and donors and supporters couldn't contain their concern about his showing against Trump.
Biden appeared to acknowledge the criticism during a rally in Raleigh, North Carolina, saying "I don't debate as well as I used to." But he added, "I know how to do this job. I know how to get things done." Speaking for 18 minutes, Biden appeared far more animated than he had the night before as he excoriated Trump for his "lies" and for waging a campaign aimed at "revenge and retribution."
"The choice in this election is simple," Biden said. "Donald Trump will destroy our democracy. I will defend it."
He added, alluding to his candidacy, "When you get knocked down, you get back up."
Even before the debate, Biden's age had been a liability with voters, and Thursday night's faceoff appeared to reinforce the public's deep-seated concerns before perhaps the largest audience he will garner in the four months until Election Day.
Privately, his campaign worked to tamp down concerns and keep donors and surrogates on board. Democratic lawmakers on Friday acknowledged Biden's poor showing, but tried to stop talk of replacing him as their standard-bearer, and instead shift the focus to Trump's attacks and falsehoods.
"Well, the president didn't have a good night, but neither did Donald Trump with lie after lie and his dark vision for America," North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper told The Associated Press on Friday, hours before he introduced the president in Raleigh. "We cannot send Donald Trump back to the White House. He's an existential threat to our nation."
backed up his former vice president, posting on X that "Bad debate nights happen." Alluding to his own poor showing in the first debate of his reelection campaign in 2012, Obama continued, "Trust me, I know. But this election is still a choice between someone who has fought for ordinary folks his entire life and someone who only cares about himself."
He added: "Last night didn't change that, and it's why so much is at stake in November."
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries answered with a flat "no" when asked Friday if Biden should step aside.
Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., allowed he "had to take a few more antidepressants than usual" after Biden's debate showing.
But he added that "a Donald Trump presidency would cause me far greater discomfort than a Joe Biden debate performance."
Biden's campaign billed the Raleigh event as the largest-yet rally of his reelection bid in the state Trump carried by the narrowest margin in 2020. He then traveled to New York for a weekend of big-dollar fundraisers that his campaign now needs more than ever.
U.S. President Joe Biden, left, prepares to speak as first lady Jill Biden looks on at a campaign rally, Friday, June 28, 2024, in Raleigh, N.C. (Evan Vucci / AP Photo)
Biden's campaign announced that it raised US$14 million on debate day and the morning after, while Trump's campaign said it raised more than US$8 million from the start of the debate through the end of the night.
Vice President Kamala Harris, whom the Biden campaign sent out to defend his performance, tried to reassure Biden supporters at a rally in Las Vegas on Friday, saying, "This race will not be decided by one night in June.
"This race will be decided by you. By us," she said. "Who sits in the White House next year will be determined by what we together do in these next 130 days."
Biden campaign communications director Michael Tyler said there had been no internal conversations "whatsoever" about Biden stepping aside, though he, too, acknowledged that the president had a "bad night" on stage.
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., said he could hardly sleep because of the number of telephone calls he got after Biden performed "horribly" in the debate.
"People were just concerned. And I told everybody being concerned is healthy, overreacting is dangerous," Cleaver said.
Rep. James Clyburn, a South Carolina Democrat whose support in that state helped Biden secure the Democratic nomination four years ago, said he would likely speak to Biden later Friday and his message would be simple: "Stay the course."
Biden and his team have long wagered that voters would look past their concerns about his age and unpopularity when confronted at the ballot box with a choice between the president and Trump. Despite their concerns about Biden's performance, they took solace in Trump doing little to expand his own appeal to voters on Thursday.
Polls from CNN and 538/Ipsos conducted soon after the debate found that most debate-watchers thought Trump outperformed Biden. But the two men's favorability ratings remained largely unchanged, just as they did in the aftermath of Trump's conviction.
Democrats seized on Trump's equivocations on whether he would accept the will of voters this time around, his refusal to condemn the rioters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, trying to overturn his 2020 loss to Biden, and his embrace of the conservative-leaning Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade that had legalized abortion nationwide.
But Biden fumbled on abortion rights, one of the most important issues for Democrats in this year's election. He was unable to explain Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. A conservative Supreme Court with three justices nominated by Trump overturned Roe two years ago.
As elected Democrats united behind Biden publicly, donors and party operatives shared panicked text messages and phone calls Thursday night and into Friday expressing their concern that Biden's performance was so bad that he may be unelectable this fall.
Among the few public Democratic voices calling on Biden to step aside was congressional candidate Nancy Boyda in Kansas, who broke with most in her party and called on Biden to suspend his campaign and retire at the end of his current term.
But there were no immediate signs of organized efforts among donors, his campaign leadership or the Democratic National Committee to convince the president to step aside, according to interviews with several people who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share sensitive conversations.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat frequently mentioned as a 2028 contender and speculated about as a potential replacement for Biden, released a statement backing him on Friday.
"The difference between Joe Biden's vision for making sure everyone in America has a fair shot and Donald Trump's dangerous, self-serving plans will only get sharper as we head toward November," she said.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom also dismissed questions on whether he would consider stepping in for Biden, telling reporters, "I will never turn my back on him."
Under current Democratic Party rules, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to replace Biden as the party's nominee without his cooperation or without party officials being willing to rewrite the rules at the August national convention.
Trump was set to hold a rally Friday afternoon in Chesapeake, Va., a one-time battleground that has shifted toward Democrats in recent years but that his aides believe can flip toward the Republicans in November.
Superville reported from Raleigh, North Carolina; Price reported from Norfolk, Va.; Peoples reported from Atlanta; AP reporters Stephen Groves, Brian Slodysko, Colleen Long and Farnoush Amiri in Washington, John Hanna in Topeka, K.S., Gary D. Robertson in Raleigh, JJ Cooper in Las Vegas, Joey Cappelletti in Lansing, Mich. and Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed.
U.S. President Joe Biden vowed to stay in the 2024 presidential race during a call with campaign staff on Wednesday and sought to reassure top Democrats on Capitol Hill that he is fit for reelection despite his shaky debate performance last week.
Ottawa city councillor Clarke Kelly says he is not apologizing after a Kinburn daycare owner alleged he screamed and swore in front of children during a dispute that saw police called to the scene on Wednesday afternoon.
As some Canadian companies explore offering staff a four-day work week, experts are watching Greece's move closely and suggest it could work in Canada.
Ireland's prime minister says he's "absolutely appalled" by an assault in the country's capital that resulted in the death of a tourist from Montreal.
An Ontario man who wanted to spend time with his family in Florida was hospitalized after suffering a cardiac arrest at the airport as he was about to fly back to Canada.
Five earthquakes were recorded in quick succession off the British Columbia coast on Wednesday afternoon.
Hudson's Bay Co. has reached a deal to buy luxury department store chain Neiman Marcus, according to media reports.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been taking calls from different members of his Liberal caucus following the party's historic byelection loss in a Toronto riding last week, but the prime minister said his focus remains on governing.
More than 1,100 WestJet flights and counting have been cancelled since last Thursday, when a strike by the airlines mechanics union grounded travel plans for more than 100,000 customers.
Lacey may look like just another pet chicken on Emily Carrington’s B.C. property. But she has a title her coop mates don’t: Guinness World Record holder.
Five earthquakes were recorded in quick succession off the British Columbia coast on Wednesday afternoon.
A landlord in Ottawa is facing thousands of dollars in repairs after his tenant left his only rental property damaged and disorderly.
There was relief in central Labrador Wednesday night as officials lifted a wildfire evacuation order, allowing people to return to their homes in Churchill Falls two weeks after they were asked to flee.
A Calgary man is $66 million richer after claiming a Lotto 6-49 jackpot.
Regina police have identified 29-year-old Skylar Ochuschayoo as a suspect in the city's third homicide of the year.
Hurricane Beryl was roaring by Jamaica Wednesday, bringing fierce winds and heavy rain after the powerful Category 4 storm earlier killed at least six people and caused significant damage in the southeast Caribbean.
A flight to Manchester, New Hampshire, was diverted Wednesday after a man allegedly exposed himself and urinated in the aisle of the airplane, officials said.
A Delta flight from Detroit to Amsterdam was diverted to New York's Kennedy Airport on Wednesday after passengers were served spoiled food, airline officials said.
Firefighters lined roads to keep flames from reaching homes as helicopters dropped water on a growing wildfire Wednesday in Northern California that has forced at least 26,000 people to evacuate, as the state sweltered under extreme heat.
More than 120 people died in a stampede after a religious gathering in northern India, making it one of the deadliest such accidents in recent years.
Los Angeles will pay more than US$21 million to settle claims by residents of a neighborhood where police bungled the detonation of a cache of illegal fireworks three years ago, injuring 17 people and displacing dozens of others.
Ottawa city councillor Clarke Kelly says he is not apologizing after a Kinburn daycare owner alleged he screamed and swore in front of children during a dispute that saw police called to the scene on Wednesday afternoon.
A woman will finally hold the Canadian military's top job, after the federal government named Lt.-Gen. Jennie Carignan as the new defence chief on Wednesday.
The co-chair of the Liberals' Ontario campaign is suggesting the party's candidate in the Toronto—St. Paul's byelection needed more time to campaign before the vote.
A fourth farm worker has been infected with bird flu in the outbreak linked to dairy cows, health officials reported Wednesday.
People who take Ozempic or Wegovy may have a higher risk of developing a rare form of blindness, a new study suggests. Still, doctors say it shouldn’t deter patients from using the medicines to treat diabetes or obesity.
When Hannah was seven years old, she told her parents she didn’t want to be afraid of food anymore.
Grapes have been intertwined with the story of humanity for millennia, providing the basis for wines produced by our ancestors thousands of years ago — but that may not have been the case if dinosaurs hadn’t disappeared from the planet, according to new research.
Marine mammal rescuers in British Columbia are searching for an entangled humpback whale in the waters off northern Vancouver Island.
The former Apollo 8 astronaut best known for taking the iconic 'Earthrise' photo, who died last month while piloting a plane over the waters off Washington state, was doing a flyby near a friend's house when the fatal accident occurred, federal authorities said Tuesday.
Robert Towne, the Oscar-winning screenplay writer of 'Shampoo,' 'The Last Detail' and other acclaimed films whose work on 'Chinatown' became a model of the art form and helped define the jaded allure of his native Los Angeles, has died. He was 89.
Producers of the western movie "Rust" may have to forgo a robust economic incentive as they try to sell the film to distributors and fulfill financial obligations to the immediate family of a cinematographer who was fatally shot by Alec Baldwin during rehearsal in 2021.
Jin, the oldest member of K-pop supergroup BTS, will be an Olympic torchbearer at the Paris games after recently completing his mandatory military service.
OpenText Corp.'s chief executive says the company plans to shed about 1,200 roles as part of a business optimization plan.
As some Canadian companies explore offering staff a four-day work week, experts are watching Greece's move closely and suggest it could work in Canada.
Hudson's Bay Co. has reached a deal to buy luxury department store chain Neiman Marcus, according to media reports.
Billionaire heir Anant Ambani is set to marry his longtime girlfriend Radhika Merchant later this month, in a lavish ceremony widely described as the country's wedding of the year.
Barry Nussbaum, a Toronto-based family lawyer who has counselled countless couples, offers advice about the details you don't want to overlook before getting married.
When Ruth Harrison and Dan Phillips relocated from the U.S. to Ecuador two years ago, their main goal was to enjoy a peaceful retirement. Life had other ideas.
Former Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter will be charged with a federal felony connected to the sports betting scandal that spurred the NBA to ban him for life, court papers indicate.
Jessica Campbell will become the first woman to work on the bench of an NHL franchise after the Seattle Kraken hired her as an assistant coach Wednesday.
To be sure, Emma Navarro used clean tennis to defeat Naomi Osaka at Wimbledon on Wednesday: just five unforced errors compared to 16 winners; zero break points faced; a 4-for-4 success rate at the net.
CDK Global said 'substantially all' of the nearly 15,000 car dealerships that use its software across North America are back online to its core management system, almost two weeks since a cyber incident caused a software blackout.
Transport Canada recalled various vehicles over the last week, including Kia, Toyota, Volkswagen and Porsche cars.
It used to be cash was king and that you could get a better deal if you paid for a car in full, but now many dealers want you to finance your purchase so they can make more money.
A never-before-lived-in mansion in Whistler is on the market for $17.9 million – with the listing describing it as a 'steal for the international buyer' due to the current exchange rate, which puts the price in U.S. dollars at $13.1 million.
A new documentary filmed in Nova Scotia by marine biologist and veterinarian Dr. Chris Harvey Clark explores the increased number of white shark observations in Canadian waters.
Irish singer Niall Horan had to ditch his car and walk to Scotiabank Arena where his concert was being held last weekend because the traffic was 'too bad' downtown.
A rave at the Ontario Science Centre was the place where Greg LeBlanc says his relationship first began with his husband Mark in 1997.
Travellers flying with WestJet continue to watch as the airline cancels more flights due to a sudden strike by its mechanics union.
The remains of a soldier from Newfoundland killed in the battlefields of France during the First World War will be laid to rest in St. John's Monday, bringing an emotional end to a years-long effort in a place still shaken and forever changed by the bloodshed.
The city is entering the final stages of resuming water service through its repaired feeder main, as water consumption continues to fall below the city’s threshold level.
A grandfather and grandson duo proudly graduated alongside each other at the same northern Manitoba school.
A large basking shark was captured close to the shoreline on Nova Scotia's Eastern Shore.
Two washrooms in the neighbourhood – one located at Pigeon Park and the other at 144 East Hastings St. – risk closing due to their funding running out in less than two weeks.
As Hurricane Beryl churns through the Caribbean, levelling coastal communities, Global Affairs Canada has issued a travel advisory for areas already devastated – and those in the path of the storm.
HandyDART riders are watching closely as the labour dispute between unionized drivers and their employer Transdev heats up in Metro Vancouver.
A plainclothes officer with the Toronto Police Service’s Drug Squad has been charged after another Toronto area police service alleged he was found driving while impaired and in possession of illicit drugs.
Pro-Palestinian protesters who have been occupying King's College Circle for more than 60 days have moved out ahead of a 6 p.m. deadline set by the court to vacate the encampment.
Mosetta Ferguson says she saved up for more than a year to take her first trip to Canada to visit her daughter, a trip she says was wonderful until her flight home was cancelled as a result of a strike involving WestJet mechanics that stranded thousands of people over the long weekend.
A Calgary man is $66 million richer after claiming a Lotto 6-49 jackpot.
Calgary's new logo for its 'Blue Sky City' civic brand has officially been revealed as creators of the design hope it sends a welcoming message and acts as a nod to innovation.
Calgary Stampede crews were busy on Wednesday putting the finishing touches on the grounds before the party begins.
As receipts tick ever higher for Canadians at the grocery store and shoppers continue to search for savings, one Canadian grocer has ended a perceived deal.
Ottawa city councillor Clarke Kelly says he is not apologizing after a Kinburn daycare owner alleged he screamed and swore in front of children during a dispute that saw police called to the scene on Wednesday afternoon.
A landlord in Ottawa is facing thousands of dollars in repairs after his tenant left his only rental property damaged and disorderly.
Ireland's prime minister says he's "absolutely appalled" by an assault in the country's capital that resulted in the death of a tourist from Montreal.
In Jamaica, people were shopping for essentials and fishermen were bringing boats back to shore as they braced for the worst ahead of Hurricane Beryl.
The number of disciplinary cases against Quebec realtors accused of "financially abusing" their clients is going up.
The RCMP are searching for a man they say asked two 15-year-old girls if they wanted to have sex with him and punched a 14-year-boy last Wednesday.
A man is in police custody following the early Wednesday morning death of a woman in southeast Edmonton.
An Edmonton company that once held a competition for free rent of its former office space is doing it again.
Police in Cape Breton are investigating reports of a scam involving a seemingly stranded motorist flagging down drivers and offering gold jewelry in exchange for money to pay for gas or repairs.
The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season has been off to a rare and dangerous start. Hurricane Beryl is the earliest Category 4 and Category 5 hurricane on record for the Atlantic, developing as a result of primed conditions that favour a very active hurricane season.
After a string of thefts over the Canada Day long weekend in Amherst, N.S., local businesses are raising concerns about shoplifting trends in the town
In order to pay what some advocates consider a living wage, a new report says the City of Winnipeg would have to spend more than $3 million more per year.
A search of the grounds of a former residential school in northern Manitoba has uncovered 187 anomalies, according to First Nation leaders.
It was a giant celebration for a giant birthday in south Winnipeg Wednesday, which featured a flyover from the Royal Canadian Air Force.
School divisions across Saskatchewan are making it known that fiscal challenges remain, despite the province's attempts at addressing capacity issues in its most recent budget.
A Regina couple who were paid $800 in compensation from Sunwing Airlines are now being taken back to court as the airline seeks to overturn the decision.
Regina police have identified 29-year-old Skylar Ochuschayoo as a suspect in the city's third homicide of the year.
Mark McCreadie’s family fears his admitted killer will harm someone else if he’s ever released from prison.
OpenText Corp.'s chief executive says the company plans to shed about 1,200 roles as part of a business optimization plan.
Progress has been made in the ongoing strike at the Cargill meat processing plant in Guelph, Ont., as the union representing workers announced Tuesday they reached a new recommended memorandum of settlement with the company.
Shoppers who frequent Co-op stores in Saskatoon and the area may have to shop around to get what they need because of limited supply due to a cyberattack.
Traffic restrictions are in place for Northbound traffic exiting from Highway 16 onto Circle Drive East due to a single-vehicle collision involving a school bus.
The mother of a Saskatoon homicide victim says getting justice in her daughter’s killing has been painful.
A federal court hearing Wednesday saw lawyers for Elliot Lake homeowners and the Attorney General of Canada argue over the definition of nuclear mine waste.
The Greater Sudbury Police Service advised of a heavy police presence in the city’s downtown on social media on Wednesday evening.
A northern Ontario beekeeper has lost half of her bee population – more than 1.5 million bees to be exact – due to what she believes is an acute chemical kill.
Police in Huron County are overseeing a death investigation. Around 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday, emergency services responded to an address on Cut Line Road between Parr Line and Tipperary Line in Central Huron.
The sexual assault case involving five former Canadian World Junior hockey players was back in court as the trial date draws near. The pre-trial was dealt with this afternoon via zoom at the London courthouse, however a ban on publication was placed any issues discussed during the proceedings.
The London Fire Department is working alongside the London Police Service following a fire in the city.
Police arrested and charged two individuals for allegedly stealing over $5,000 worth of furniture from an Airbnb.
Emergency crews are responding to a motor vehicle collision on Crossland Road and Townline in Tiny Township.
On Wednesday, a distressed senior was successfully rescued along a trail in New Tecumseth, Ont.
The recent death of a cyclist on Lauzon Road has renewed concerns about Windsor's cycling infrastructure.
A Maidstone couple discovers an unexpected object while doing landscaping in their backyard.
A trick or a treat? The Town of Kingsville wants residents to weigh in on rescheduling Halloween.
Five earthquakes were recorded in quick succession off the British Columbia coast on Wednesday afternoon.
Three years after a man was gunned down outside a fast-food restaurant on Vancouver Island, a 42-year-old suspect has been charged with murder.
Lacey may look like just another pet chicken on Emily Carrington’s B.C. property. But she has a title her coop mates don’t: Guinness World Record holder.
British Columbia residents are being told to brace for a coming heat wave that could send temperatures into the high 30s and beyond, with the government reminding people to check in on their neighbours.
A swath of B.C.’s southern Interior is being told to brace for potential severe thunderstorms Tuesday.
A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect Sunday for a swath of the B.C. Interior, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada.
One of two men accused of conspiring to kill Mounties at the border blockade at Coutts, Alta., characterized the protest as a last stand and told his mother there “will be a war” if police moved in.
With the recent moisture and cooler temperatures, fire bans and restrictions in the Lethbridge area are no longer in effect.
Plenty of tourists will descend on Lethbridge to see what the city offers. Locals, too, will have no shortage of activities this weekend.
Sault Ste. Marie native and four-time Stanley Cup champion Marty Pavelich has died.
Police and city officials say a Pride display in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., was vandalized.
A federal court hearing Wednesday saw lawyers for Elliot Lake homeowners and the Attorney General of Canada argue over the definition of nuclear mine waste.
There was relief in central Labrador Wednesday night as officials lifted a wildfire evacuation order, allowing people to return to their homes in Churchill Falls two weeks after they were asked to flee.
The union representing inshore fish harvesters in Newfoundland and Labrador is calling on the federal government to reverse its recent decision to reopen the commercial Northern cod fishery.
As part of the emotional ceremony honouring Newfoundland and Labrador's Unknown Soldier, the province's national anthem, The Ode to Newfoundland, was sung. Military members received special permission from defence officials to salute the Ode.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
