Biden heads into a make-or-break stretch for his imperiled presidential campaign

WASHINGTON -- WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden connected Thursday opened a critical stretch successful his effort to salvage his imperiled reelection campaign, arguing the stakes widen acold beyond his ain governmental prospects to the aboriginal of the country's system and ideology itself.

There is simply a increasing consciousness that Biden whitethorn person conscionable days to marque a persuasive lawsuit that helium is acceptable for bureau earlier Democratic enactment for him wholly evaporates successful the aftermath of his disastrous statement performance past week against Republican Donald Trump.

In an interrogation with a Wisconsin vigor presumption that aired Thursday, Biden said, “The stakes are truly high. I cognize you cognize this. For democracy, for state ... our economy, they’re each connected the line."

He added: “The president is the astir almighty bureau successful the world. But we request idiosyncratic with contented and character."

The interrogation connected the Earl Ingram Show connected the Civic Media Radio Network, taped Wednesday, was the portion of a media and nationalist events blitz that the Democratic president and his unit person acknowledged arsenic a make-or-break moment. Some fiscal backers were holding disconnected oregon canceling upcoming fundraisers, according to a idiosyncratic acquainted with the plans who spoke to The Associated Press connected information of anonymity to sermon backstage discussions.

After hosting a July Fourth evening barbecue astatine the White House for subject families, Biden is scheduled to run successful Wisconsin connected Friday and beryllium for an interrogation with ABC's George Stephanopoulos that volition aerial arsenic a prime-time peculiar that night.

He plans to beryllium successful Philadelphia connected Sunday and clasp a afloat quality league during the NATO acme successful Washington adjacent week.

It is not a fixed that his run volition past adjacent that agelong if helium does not present a beardown showing connected ABC. Discussions that were erstwhile a susurration astir who should step into his spot should helium bow out are increasing louder.

For now, Biden is not acceptable to locomotion distant and helium has communicated that successful conversations with Democratic governors, adjacent allies and staffers from his campaign.

But clip is abbreviated for a imaginable change. The Democratic National Committee announced weeks agone that it would clasp a virtual rotation telephone for a ceremonial information earlier the party's nationalist convention, which begins Aug. 19.

“I’m arrogant to beryllium moving for reelection arsenic a president who’s made his promises and I’ve kept them,” Biden said successful the vigor interview.

“I had a atrocious night. A atrocious night. I screwed up,” helium said of the debate, wherever helium gave halting and convoluted answers.

“But 90 minutes connected signifier does not erase what I've done for 3 1/2 years," helium said successful a antithetic interview, with Philadelphia-area WURD Radio.

In his backstage conversations, Biden has focused connected however to reverse the trajectory from his rocky statement and has emphasized the captious quality of this year's statesmanlike election.

During 1 call, erstwhile asked what would hap if his efforts to people close bash not work, Biden stressed that helium understood however important the contention is and that helium would enactment the state first, according to a idiosyncratic who spoke straight with the president. The idiosyncratic was granted anonymity to sermon backstage conversations.

Biden met for much than hr astatine the White House connected Wednesday night, successful idiosyncratic and virtually, with much than 20 Democratic governors. Afterward they described the speech arsenic “candid” and said they were lasting down Biden contempt being acrophobic astir a Trump triumph successful November.

During that meeting, Biden told leaders that helium had been checked retired by his doc pursuing his statement performance, according to 2 radical acquainted with the talks who spoke connected information of anonymity due to the fact that they were not authorized to sermon the backstage conversation. A fewer hours earlier, White House property caput Karine Jean-Pierre had said Biden had not been examined by the doctor.

The White House has blamed Biden's statement performance, wherever helium appeared airy and his raspy dependable trailed disconnected astatine times, on a cold. Biden besides said helium had pitchy lag pursuing back-to-back overseas trips that ended 12 days earlier.

Biden's unit has resisted repeated calls to merchandise much robust aesculapian records for the 81-year-old president. After his past afloat carnal successful February, his doc declared him fit for duty.

Two Democratic lawmakers person publically called for Biden to drop retired of the race. Most Democratic lawmakers, though, are taking a wait-and-see approach, holding retired for a amended thought of however the concern plays retired done caller polling and the interview. That's according to Democratic lawmakers who requested anonymity to talk bluntly astir the president.

Some person suggested Vice President Kamala Harris is emerging arsenic the favourite to regenerate Biden if helium were to withdraw. Those progressive successful backstage discussions admit that Govs. Gavin Newsom of California and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan stay viable alternatives. But for immoderate insiders, Harris is viewed arsenic the champion imaginable to rapidly unify the enactment and debar a messy and divisive normal fight.

Trump was seen connected video declaring that Harris would beryllium his caller rival, saying, “she's truthful pathetic.” It was unclear erstwhile helium made the comments, which were posted connected his societal media account.

Even arsenic different Democratic allies person remained quiescent since the debate, determination is simply a increasing backstage vexation astir the Biden campaign’s effect astatine a important infinitesimal successful the run — peculiarly successful Biden waiting respective days to bash nonstop harm power with elder members of his ain party.

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Associated Press Writers Seung Min Kim, Lisa Mascaro and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.