Dozens of Democrats plotting for Joe Biden to drop out of US Presidential race

Joe Biden suffered a fresh blow to his presidential bid as major party donors froze $132 million unless he drops out of a race he ‘can’t win’.

Embattled US President Joe Biden has lashed out at the media for highlighting his gaffes and egged on his supporters as they yelled “lock him up” about his opponent Donald Trump.

The 81-year-old’s fiery speech – his latest effort to salvage his candidacy for November’s election – mirrored the former president’s attacks on the press and his 2016 election rival Hillary Clinton, who was also targeted with “lock her up” chants.

But Mr Biden claimed he was “going to do what the press so far hasn’t”, using a rally in the battleground state of Michigan to blast the Republican’s “deadly serious” agenda.

He complained the media was “hammering me” for his mistakes since his disastrous debate against Trump last month, prompting his supporters to boo the reporters covering the event.

“I sometimes confuse names … but guess what, Donald Trump has gotten a free pass,” Mr Biden said, as he called him a “loser” and delivered his most forceful attack yet on the convicted felon’s brushes with the law.

Defying mounting calls to drop out of the race, the oldest president in history also laid out his agenda for the first 100 days of his second term, vowing that he would start by restoring the constitutional right to abortion.

Hours before the rally, however, more Democratic members of Congress called for him to quit, including one who confronted him directly in a call with the party’s Hispanic leaders.

In a further blow, The New York Times reported Democratic donors were withholding a whopping $US90m ($A132m) in pledges from his top political action committee if he remained at the top of the ticket, leaving him cash-strapped in a crucial stretch of the race.

A day earlier, Mr Biden held his first press conference in eight months at the end of the NATO summit which was watched by 23 million people – a bigger TV audience than this year’s Academy Awards.

US President Joe Biden attempts to save his candidacy. Picture: AFP

It was marred by the President mistakenly referring to “Vice President Trump” instead of Vice President Kamala Harris, which Trump later said was “not stellar”.

But the Republican said he did not believe it was “the end for him”, as he suggested the pair should sit for a joint cognitive test “like a team”.

Mr Biden’s campaign spokesman Michael Tyler defended the President by saying he had “been making gaffes for 40 years” and “will probably continue to do so”.

A top Democratic operative told Politico: “Biden has lowered the bar until it’s on the floor and Democrats have to decide if they’re going to go along with it … Being able to get through a press conference and being able to beat Trump are not the same thing.”

According to the Financial Times, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán told NATO allies at a White House dinner that those who believed Mr Biden could win “were like people on the Titanic playing violins as the ship went down”.

US President Joe Biden walks off stage after speaking during a campaign event at Renaissance High School in Detroit, Michigan. Picture: AFP

Mr Biden’s campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon admitted to his re-election team that the fortnight since the debate had been “bad f***ing weeks”, according to Axios, but that they needed to ignore the “crazy f***ing gossip” because he still had a path to victory.

In the aftermath of Mr Biden’s long-awaited press conference, he also held crisis talks with Democratic House leader Hakeem Jeffries, who later wrote to his colleagues that he “directly expressed the full breadth of insight, heartfelt perspectives and conclusions about the path forward that the caucus has shared in our recent time together”.

Notably, however, he did not offer Mr Biden his endorsement in the letter.

“I am running, and we’re going to win,” the President later promised at the Michigan rally.

RENEWED CALLS FOR BIDEN TO DROP OUT

Dozens of Democratic politicians are plotting to call on Joe Biden to drop out of the election race in a co-ordinated hit on the US President after a rare press conference in which he confused his Vice President Kamala Harris for his opponent Donald Trump.

The 81-year-old’s gaffe – which came shortly after he referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as “President Putin” – was among several stumbles that marred his defiant bid to convince his party he was the “most qualified” option for November’s election.

“If I slow down and can’t get the job done, that’s a sign I shouldn’t be doing it,” he said.

“But there’s no indication of that yet – none.”

US President Joe Biden corrects himself after accidentally introducing Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as Russia's President Vladimir Putin at the NATO Summit in Washington. Picture: AFP

The US President made more mistakes than just incorrectly introducing Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. Picture: AFP

Moments after the President wrapped up his first solo press conference in eight months, however, three more Democratic members of Congress broke ranks to urge him to drop out.

“In 2020, Joe Biden ran for president with the purpose of putting country over party,” Illinois representative Eric Sorensen said.

“Today, I am asking him to do that again.”

Dozens more were expected to do the same over the next 48 hours, according to a CBS News report which quoted a senior Democrat saying it would be “brutal”.

OBAMA REMAINS SILENT ON BIDEN

As the panicked party grappled with how to convince the oldest president in history to quit, former president Barack Obama remained silent amid reports that he feared Mr Biden would lose to Trump and had discussed what to do with Democratic party elder Nancy Pelosi.

Mr Obama also reportedly knew Hollywood star and Democratic donor George Clooney planned to issue his scathing call for Mr Biden to drop out – but did nothing to stop it.

Even Democratic donor George Clooney has called for Mr Biden to drop out. Picture: WireImage

In his press conference, Mr Biden claimed that the campaign “hasn’t started in earnest yet” and questioned the accuracy of polls which have him trailing the former Republican president both nationally and in key battleground states.

“I’ve got overwhelming support,” he maintained.

“I’m determined on running but I think it’s important that I allay fears by letting them see me out there … There is so much we can do still and I’m determined to get it done.”

Asked if he would reconsider if his team showed him data suggesting Ms Harris would fare better, the President said: “No, unless they came back and said that there’s no way you could win … No one’s saying that.”

US Vice President Kamala Harris. Picture: AFP

‘GREAT JOB, JOE!: TRUMP

Trump – who will be confirmed as the Republican nominee at the party’s convention next week – responded to Mr Biden’s gaffe about his vice president by saying: “Great job, Joe!”

While the President performed better than he did during last month’s disastrous debate that sparked the internal fight over his future, he spoke softly, repeatedly coughed and often lost his train of thought in what the White House had dubbed a “big boy” press conference.

He also mistakenly referred to a senior US military leader as “his commander-in-chief”.

Illinois representative Brad Schneider, who called on Mr Biden to allow another Democrat to run as the party’s nominee shortly before the press conference, said: “We can’t have a situation where every day we are holding our breath.”

‘I”M IN GOOD SHAPE’: BIDEN DECLARES

Mr Biden did soften his opposition to taking a neurological exam – something potential replacement Gretchen Whitmer suggested “wouldn’t hurt” – but said he would only do so if his doctors decided it was needed after three previous tests during his annual check-ups.

“They say I’m in good shape,” he said.

“The only thing age does is it creates a little bit of wisdom if you pay attention.”

And while he denied reports that he had admitted needing to avoid events after 8pm to reduce fatigue, Mr Biden acknowledged he had to “pace myself a little more”.

“My schedule has been full bore,” Mr Biden said of his efforts since the debate, only to criticise his staff for adding in extra events.

“I’m catching hell from my wife.”

While the Democratic convention to confirm the party’s candidate will be held from August 19-22, the nominee is set to be locked in with a virtual roll call on August 7.