US President Joe Biden has turned down Donald Trump’s offer for him to “redeem himself” after his disastrous performance in their first televised debate last month by holding another, unscheduled, face-off.
Biden has faced increasing calls to withdraw from the presidential race after he appeared frail and confused during the June 27 debate against Trump. According to the New York Times, Democratic donors have been withholding $90 million in donations in order to persuade the party to replace the 81-year-old president on the ticket. Biden, however, has insisted he is staying in the race.
Speaking at a rally in Miami last week, before the assassination attempt on him, Trump offered Biden another opportunity to debate.
“Let us do another debate this week so that sleepy Joe Biden can prove to everyone all over the world that he has what it takes to be president,” he said, adding that the unscheduled face-off should have no moderators and be “man-to-man.”
Asked about the proposal during an interview with NBC’s Lester Holt on Tuesday, Biden said he will debate Trump only at the previously agreed time.
“I’m gonna debate him when we agreed to debate. And I agreed to debate him in September,” Biden said. The second face-off between the two is scheduled to take place on September 10, with ABC News hosting.
Biden snapped back when Holt suggested a snap debate in the coming weeks would be a chance for him to “get back on the horse.”
“I am on the horse. Where have you been? I have done 22 major events, met thousands of people, overwhelming crowds. A lot has been happening. I am on the horse,” he said, insisting that he does not need notes or a teleprompter.
“I can go out and answer any questions at all,” he said.
Multiple US news outlets have reported in recent weeks that Democratic donors and officials have been plotting to force Biden out of the race. Axios reported last week that an “anti-Biden network” that includes veterans of the Obama and Clinton administrations are seeking to oust Biden and field a candidate they believe has a better chance of winning the November election.
Biden told Holt on Tuesday that he would not repeat his poor performance at the next debate. “I don’t plan on having another performance on that level,” he said.