By Sarah Naffa/AP
Photos: AP/Jacquelyn Martin/YouTube Screenshots
Joe Biden faced a test Thursday that he had avoided so far this year — a solo news conference with questions from the White House press corps. The news conference was meant to reassure a disheartened group of Democratic lawmakers, allies and voters that Biden still has the strength and stamina to be president. Read more.
What to know:
Biden tried to make the case that what he’s doing matters more than how he talks about it. He praised the just finished NATO summit as elevating America’s standing, drilled down on the easing of inflation, and said he would cap rent growth for tenants in tax-credit programs for low-income housing. Biden insists on staying in the race and flubbed names at the NATO news conference.
Biden made at least two notable flubs, referring to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “President Putin” and then calling Kamala Harris “Vice President Trump” when asked about her by a reporter.
There were few fireworks in Biden’s answers. While it didn’t erase the stumbles and blank stares from the debate, it showed that he could engage with reporters’ questions on a range of issues without losing focus.
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