Congressional lawmakers departed Washington, D.C., around noon on Thursday, hours before President Biden’s pivotal press conference, where the 81-year-old leader is tasked with fighting off concerns that he is not fit for another four years in office.
Some Democrats were relatively muted in their responses to Fox News Digital on whether the president would do a good job at the press conference, while others insisted the president would pull it off.
Republicans, who have long argued Biden is not mentally fit for office, largely said Biden would show more of the same signs of aging he showed at last month’s CNN Presidential Debate against former President Trump.
"Just as all of his public appearances go on, it will be very interesting to see him do what they themselves have called a big boy press conference. Look, it's been the biggest political cover up, probably in the history of the country," House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told Fox News Digital when asked about the press conference. "I think the more public appearances and speeches he does, the more that will put that on vivid display. And I think there's a lot to answer."
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"I think this is the ultimate test for him. The press is all over it and if he fails, they're going to push him out," Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, D-Ga., told Fox News Digital. "This is going to come after a long day with NATO. It's unscripted, and he's gonna be facing a red-hot press corps."
Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., said, "We're in a bad situation because you've got a mentally infirm man who is technically a leader of the free world."
"It's before four o'clock in the afternoon, so he should do okay," Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., joked. "Here's what people need to understand, if the president of the United States is only capable of operating from eight to four in the afternoon, the world is a much more dangerous place, and they should be terrified by this."
When asked how he thought Biden would perform in front of the press, Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas, said: "I would guess about the same as the debate. It's been a while since we had a press conference with him, so it'd be good to see him answer some questions that aren't hand handed to the reporters in advance."
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., said that she thinks "he's going to do just about as good as you can do, which is not good at all."
The press conference comes as a growing number of Democratic lawmakers have come out against Biden’s candidacy over concerns he would lose to Trump in November.
"I think he's going to do fine," Rep. Juan Vargas, D-Calif., said when asked about the Thursday press conference.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., told Fox that he wishes Biden well at the event, while Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wa., said, "I think he did a good job at NATO – let's see how he does."
"I think he's going to stand by our NATO allies, which is what every president should do," said Rep. Seth Magaziner, D-R.I.
Biden, for his part, has insisted that he is still the best person to defeat the former president.
However, his performance at last month’s debate is still sowing doubt. He spoke with a hoarse voice, which he attributed to a cold, and stumbled over his answers several times during the primetime event. Viewers also observed him appearing tired and noticeably less sharp than he looked the last time he faced Trump in 2020.
Still, some Democrats on Capitol Hill remained confident that Biden is going to succeed.
"President Biden is going to make a strong case that America is safer when we are committed to our allies," said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn. "I think that will stand in direct contrast to the Republican National Convention next week, when Donald Trump will advertise that we should break from our allies, withdraw from the world, making us much less safe."
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As of Thursday, 10 House Democratic lawmakers and one senator have called on Biden to step aside.
