U.S. President Joe Biden faces the danger of "political drowning," as more Democrats express doubts about his ability to defeat Donald Trump in the presidential election following his "disastrous" performance in their debate a week ago. CNN described the next 48 hours as "crucial" in Biden's political life, as he is set to meet with family members to discuss his campaign, while reports indicate that the possibility of his withdrawal from the race remains on the table.
In his scheduled interview with ABC News on Friday, Biden faces a greater challenge than he did during the debate with his Republican opponent, former President Donald Trump, as he needs to deliver a "strong corrective performance" that might compensate for his earlier shortcomings, where he appeared weak and unfocused.
Biden's remarks about "lack of sleep" and his attempts to justify his weaknesses during the debate have raised questions about his ability to endure the "difficult" demands of the presidency, which often require extensive travel. The idea of being sick and suffering from lack of sleep did not spare Biden from harsh criticisms, as the focus in recent days has shifted to his eligibility rather than his campaign agenda, in a crucial time in U.S. history.
A senior administration official told CNN that "the gradual erosion of support for Biden among Democrats has been like waves crashing against the shore." On Wednesday, Biden vowed to continue his re-election campaign, rejecting mounting pressures from Democrats to withdraw.
Internal polls conducted by Biden's campaign revealed that his chances in the presidential election have declined in favor of Trump. According to a memo sent exclusively to campaign staff and highlighted by Politico on Wednesday, polls indicated that Biden had 43 percent in the presidential election before the debate, which then dropped to 42 percent afterward. Meanwhile, Trump, who was also shown to have 43 percent before the debate, saw his chances increase by 0.2 percentage points afterward.
