Sen. Chris Murphy said President Biden needs to do more to convince the country that he is fit enough to be president for another four years.
“I think the president needs to do more,” the Connecticut Democrat said on CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday. “I’m not advising this campaign, but if I were, I would probably suggest that the president get out there and do a town hall, and do a press conference — show the country that he is still the old Joe Biden, one of the best retail politicians this country has ever seen.”
“The president says he can do that. I trust that he can,” he said. “I think this week is going to be really critical for him to answer those remaining questions.”
When host Dana Bash asked Mr. Murphy if he believed that Mr. Biden should remain the nominee on the Democratic ticket, the senator praised Mr. Biden’s accomplishments.
“He said that he believes that he is up to do this job. I have seen him do this job in an absolutely exceptional level,” said. “No president has had this level of legislative accomplishment in their first four years as Joe Biden.”
Mr. Murphy did say that the “clock is ticking” and this will be an important week for the president to prove his abilities.
“I think the president needs to engage in the kind of interaction with voters that will prove for those that are skeptical that he can do the job,” he said.
He said the one-on-one interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos on Friday didn’t do enough to answer lingering questions.
In the ABC interview, Mr. Biden insisted he is staying in the race, even though five House Democrats have publicly called on him to step aside. Sen. Mark Warner, Virginia Democrat, is said to be working on a group of Democratic senators who will also call for the president to drop out.
• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.
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