Biden admits 'I screwed up' debate as pressure mounts on him to quit presidential race
President Biden admits he 'screwed up' in debate but vows to continue in election as Washington Correspondent Dan River reports
President Biden has said he "screwed up" his live televised debate against Trump, as fears grow he has just days to prove he's fit for office.
His admission, which came during an interview with a local radio station, comes as pressure on him to drop out of the presidential race continues to mount.
Speaking in a pre-recorded interview with Wauk Radio in Wisconsin, the president opened up about his stumbling 90-minute head-to-head with Trump, which aired on Friday, June 28.
Biden has been heavily criticised for giving nonsensical answers, staring blankly into space and losing his train of thought, during the CNN face off.
He said: "I had a bad night. And the fact of the matter is that, I screwed up.
"I made a mistake.
"That's 90 minutes on stage, look what I've done in 3.5 years."
Biden then said: “The stakes are really high. I know you know this. For democracy, for freedom... our economy, they’re all on the line."
He added: “The president is the most powerful office in the world. But we need someone with wisdom and character."
The interview, which was recorded on Wednesday, was part of a media and public events tour, which Biden and his staff have acknowledged as a make-or-break moment.
Earlier this week, the president put his performance down to jet lag, admitting at a campaign fundraiser in McLean, Virginia on Tuesday that he "nearly fell asleep on stage", the Washington Post reports.
The debate may have been the final straw for the Democrat Party, as two lawmakers have called on Biden to exit the race, while a leading ally publicly suggested the party may need to choose someone else to run for president.
It was reported by CNN that a plan is taking shape for Biden to immediately throw his support, campaign war chest and delegates behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
Senior aides have also said they believed Biden might only have days to show he is up to the challenge before anxiety in the party boils over.
It is not just members of the party who are losing confidence, a new poll revealed three-quarters of US voters believe the Democrats would have better chances in the election if someone other than Joe Biden was their candidate.
'No one's pushing me out' Biden remains defiant despite calls to quit presidential race, as ITV News Washington Correspondent Dan Rivers reports
But Biden insisted he would stay in the US election race, on Wednesday.
He met with 20 Democratic governors at the White House in the evening to prove he still had the energy to lead for four more years.
On a call with campaign staff, he said: “Let me say this as clearly as I possibly can as simply and straightforward as I can: I am running … no one’s pushing me out.
"I’m not leaving. I’m in this race to the end and we’re going to win.”
After hosting a July Fourth evening barbecue at the White House for military families, But behind the scenes the president is said to be gathering family members who will be critical to his future deliberations on his reelection campaign.
Biden is scheduled to campaign in Wisconsin on Friday and sit for an interview with ABC's George Stephanopoulos that will air as a prime-time special that night.
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