Biden faces the most consequential weekend of his presidential rematch with Trump
As he frantically fights to salvage his campaign following last week's disastrous debate performance, the next couple of days may determine if President Biden can survive or fall victim to a rising tide of calls from within his own party to end his re-election bid.
The tests for the 81-year-old president begin on Friday, as he aims to prove that he has the fortitude to defeat former President Trump in their 2024 election rematch.
First up is a rally Friday afternoon in battleground Wisconsin, which will be followed by a sit-down interview with ABC News that will run in prime time on network television. On Sunday, the president and First Lady Jill Biden appear in Pennsylvania, another key swing state he needs to carry to win re-election.
Through it all, the oldest president in the nation's history will need to show Americans that he still has the stamina and acuity to handle the toughest and most demanding job in the world.
BIDEN RAMPS UP SPENDING IN BID TO STEADY HIS FALTERING CAMPAIGN
It's a test Biden decidedly failed last week in Atlanta, Georgia, after his halting delivery and stumbling answers during the debate with Trump sparked widespread panic in the Democratic Party and spurred calls from political pundits, editorial writers and some party donors for Biden to step aside as the party's 2024 standard-bearer.
This week, three House Democrats publicly called on Biden to step aside from his re-election bid, while more than a dozen Democratic members of Congress and governors publicly raised serious concerns about whether Biden could continue as the party's standard-bearer.
WHAT BIDEN SAID ABOUT HIS DEBATE PERFORMANCE
Facing a slew of red flags in post-debate public opinion polls and a growing chorus of prominent Democrats urging the president to quickly decide whether he can successfully continue his campaign, the next few days could potentially make or break Biden.
Biden's campaign has repeatedly insisted that the president has no intention of dropping out of the race.
And publicly, the president remains steadfast.
"I'm the Democratic Party’s nominee. No one is pushing me out. I'm not leaving, I'm in this race to the end, and WE are going to win this election," Biden wrote in a text to supporters on Wednesday afternoon.
He made similar comments earlier in the day on a Zoom call with campaign and Democratic National Committee staffers.
TRUMP GETS BOOST IN POST DEBATE POLLS AFTER BIDEN'S BOTCHED PERFORMANCE
The president's also made calls to senior congressional leaders and on Wednesday night huddled with the nation's Democratic governors.
Sources with knowledge of the meeting say Biden faced questions about his health, stamina, and political viability going forward.
Speaking with reporters following the meeting, Democratic Governors Association chair and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Maryland Gov Wes Moore boosted Biden with supportive comments.
But Moore also noted that "we always believe that when you when you love someone, you tell them the truth. And I think we came in, and we were honest about the feedback that we were getting. We were honest about the concerns that we are hearing from people."
Biden acknowledged in two recorded radio interviews that ran on Thursday morning that he "screwed up" and "made a mistake" at the debate.
But hours later, at an Independence Day celebration at the White House, after a guest yelled out in support of the president, Biden reiterated that "I'm not going anywhere."
The clock is likely ticking for Biden to quickly prove his mettle — both to his party and to voters.
"He has got a very short period of time to talk to the American people," Rep. Debbie Dingell of Michigan told CNN.
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