Joe Biden vows to stay in presidential race as he declares Trump a 'one man crimewave'
28 June 2024, 19:03 | Updated: 28 June 2024, 23:51
Joe Biden has delivered a defiant speech following on from his ‘disastrous’ TV debate as he lashed out at Donald Trump as a ‘one man crimewave’ at a rally on Friday.
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Taking to the stand at the rally in North Carolina, Mr Biden was met with chants of “four more years” - less than 24 hours after his presidential debate had been labelled ‘disastrous’.
He had been told he has a week to win over the Democrats before they try and get rid of him in the first presidential debate.
Addressing Thursday’s debate, Mr Biden immediately went on the offensive as he told the crowds: “I don't know what you did last night, but I spent 90 minutes on a stage debating with a guy who has the morals of an alley cat.
"Did you see Trump last night? My guess is he set, and I mean this sincerely, a new record for the most lies told in a single debate."
He then hit out at Mr Trump's conviction from last month's hush money trial, as he said: “Donald Trump isn't just a convicted felon, Donald Trump is a one-man crime wave."
He then added he has “more trials coming up”.
"The thing that bothers me maybe most about him, he has no respect for women or the law," Mr Biden added.
The US president also addressed concerns expressed by voters about his age after some of his recent appearances.
Read more: From denying Stormy Daniels affair to arguing about golf: Key moments from Biden vs Trump debate
He is facing calls from a number of Democratic strategists, donors and politicians to suspend his campaign in favour of a younger candidate at this year’s party convention in August.
He said: “Folks, I don't walk as easy as I used to, I don't speak as smoothly as I used to. I don't debate as well as I used to.
"But I know what I do know. I know how to tell the truth, I know right from wrong.
“I know like millions of Americans know - when you get knocked down you get back up.”
He also added: “I wouldn’t be running again if I didn’t believe with all my heart and soul I can do this job because the stakes are too high.”
It comes after Mr Biden appeared to forget what he was trying to say on several occasions during the debate, and at times spoke incomprehensibly - with his own Democrat colleagues expressing deep concern in the aftermath.
Given the ages of both Mr Trump and Mr Biden, the performance and stamina of each candidate was under intense scrutiny during the debate.
It did not take long for Mr Biden to lose his train of thought, as he suddenly started speaking about Medicare as he made a point about taxing billionaires before appearing to freeze.
David Axelrod, who was a top White House and campaign official for former President Barack Obama, said on CNN that there was "a sense of shock" about Biden's performance.
"How his voice sounded. He seemed a little disoriented. There are going to be discussions about whether he should continue".
It would be difficult and very unusual for the Democrats to find a new nominee ahead of the convention, which begins on August 19.
The convention is when the party officially chooses its nominee ahead of the actual election in November.
Current Democrat officials and politicians have publicly rallied around Biden despite his poor performance.
Gavin Newsom, the California governor whom many Democrats tout as a possible replacement, said that the party "could not be more wholly unified behind Biden".
