US President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign is facing significant challenges following a lackluster debate performance against Republican candidate and former US President Donald Trump on 27 June. To counteract the negative impact of the debate, Biden’s team provided pre-approved questions to radio hosts ahead of interviews, a practice that has drawn criticism.
Andrea Lawful-Sanders, who hosts “The Source” on WURD radio, told CNN that she received eight questions from Biden’s officials and selected four for the interview. Earl Ingram, host of “The Earl Ingram Show” in Milwaukee, confirmed a similar experience. Following backlash, the Biden campaign pledged to stop suggesting questions to interviewers. Campaign spokesperson Lauren Hitt defended the practice, saying it is common for interviewees to share preferred topics and that the questions were relevant to current events, including Biden’s debate performance and his contributions to Black Americans.
Biden’s debate performance, where he appeared frail and struggled with clarity, has led to concerns about his ability to continue in office. This has sparked calls from within the Democratic Party for Biden to step aside in favor of a younger candidate, with Minnesota House Democrat Angie Craig being the fifth party leader to suggest this.
Supportive liberal media outlets have also published opinions suggesting Biden withdraw and allow another candidate to take over. Meanwhile, Trump has used social media to highlight Biden’s moments of confusion during official events, further challenging Biden’s campaign.
Biden’s re-election efforts are under scrutiny due to his debate performance and the controversy over pre-arranged interview questions. His campaign has promised to change its approach, but concerns about his suitability as a candidate persist within the Democratic Party.
The next Presidential Debate between Biden and Trump is to be held in September and will be followed by Presidential elections scheduled for 5 November.