Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has brushed aside concerns about Joe Biden’s suitability for office following the President’s bizarre performance in the first debate against Donald Trump, which sparked calls for the 81-year-old to step down.
Speaking at a media conference on Saturday, Mr Albanese dodged a question on Mr Biden’s performance in the Friday debate and insisted ties between the US and Australia were unwavering.
An ABC journalist asked him: “Should Australians be concerned about Joe Biden’s performance there, if there are risks that … what would seem to be a pretty poor showing from the President means that our strongest ally’s being led by someone who’s not up to the job?”
Mr Albanese said he preferred not to comment on the matter given it was an issue for the United States, but vowed to respect the democratic process and work with the candidate who will be elected in November.
“Australia’s relationship with the United States is very strong, and the relationship between the Biden Administration and my government is very strong,” he said.
“The American elections are a matter for the American people and just as the people of the United Kingdom will go to the polls this coming Thursday to elect either Rishi Sunak or Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister of Britain, we will work with whoever is elected in these democratic processes that are occurring around the world in bigger and bigger numbers.
“This year, fun fact, is that this year more people will vote in democratic elections than at any time in human history and that’s a good thing”.
The Prime Minister’s comments came after the Mr Biden made multiple blunders and humiliating gaffes throughout the debate which covered topics including the economy, immigration, foreign policy and reproductive rights.
In one instance, the President seemed to entirely lose his train of thought and froze after being asked about the national debt.
After moderator Jake Tapper intervened, the President stumbled on his words as he began to talk about the importance of strengthening the country’s Medicare.
The President’s lacklustre performance sparked an “aggressive panic” from Democratic strategists and officials, as reported by CNN’s chief national correspondent John King in post-debate commentary.
Mr King on Friday said discussions between Democrats included potentially asking the President to “step aside” with suggestions prominent Democrats should go public with the call because they “feel the debate was so terrible”.
MSNBC’s Joy Reid was also candid in her commentary and said she received texts by numerous party members throughout the debate with the general reaction being “somewhere approaching panic”.
“The people who were texting with me were very concerned about President Biden seeming extremely feeble, seeming extremely weak,” she said.
“Joe Biden’s job was to reassure them tonight – his job was to calm his party, to make them feel that ‘yes, I can do this, I have four more years in me – I have the ability and the stamina and the strength to do four me years’.”
“He did not do that, he did the opposite of that, he made them more panicked.”
Mr Biden dismissed concerns at a rally in North Carolina after the debate and reiterated his intent to win November’s election amid calls for another candidate to take his place.
“I intend to win this election. When you get knocked down, you get back up,” he said.
He later wrote on X: “Folks, I might not walk as easily or talk as smoothly as I used to. I might not debate as well as I used to. But what I do know is how to tell the truth”.