(NewsNation) — President Joe Biden‘s White House bid shows no signs of slowing down, despite uproar after his presidential debate performance on Thursday.
His perceived confusion on stage caused Republicans, Democrats and major newspapers alike to raise concerns over his ability to perform presidential duties if reelected. Outlets like the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and The New York Times called on the sitting president to exit the race.
But Biden battled the rough headlines Friday with an energetic campaign speech in Raleigh, North Carolina, assuring attendees he has no plans to leave the race.
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“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. And I know how to do this job. I know how to get things done,” Biden said.
Just two days after his lackluster showing, Biden looked to ease concerns among his financial backers. A Saturday memo from Biden campaign chair, Jen O’Malley Dillon, claims “in the wake of the debate, Team Biden-Harris raised more than $27 million.”
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Grassroots funding spiked in the hour following the debate, a strong show of monetary support that runs contrary to media reaction. The DNC also said it had its best fundraising day in years in the aftermath of the debate.
Dillon likened the current chaos to former President Barack Obama’s first debate performance in 2012, which led to headlines about former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s romp over the then-Illinois senator. In that case, Dillon said, the winner of the presidential election was made to look defeated by the media.
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“Our team knows a thing or two about putting our heads down and doing the work to win hard races. This will be a very close election,” the memo reads. “It was always going to be. It will be won by breaking through and talking to voters every single day, making our case to them about just how high the stakes are and who is fighting for them.”
Seemingly in response to Biden’s criticism, the Philadelphia Inquirer’s editorial board implored former President Donald Trump to depart his ticket instead: “The debate about the debate is misplaced. The only person who should withdraw from the race is (Donald) Trump.”
