president Joe Biden had some stumbles but survived a pivotal solo press conference Thursday night as intra-party squabbling and a narrow electoral college map threaten his path to a second term in the White House. In short, he did well, and maybe it doesn't matter.

Biden's first solo press conference of the year has arrived Democrats publicly called for him to drop out of the race out of skepticism that he could win in November and effectively lead the country. Democratic leaders considered it a breakout moment for the president, and advocated that people reserve judgment on his candidacy until after the press.

During the first question of the press conference, Biden accidentally called the vice president Kamala Harris, Vice President “Trump”. However, he defended his domestic and foreign policy record, challenging reporters to find world leaders or experts who disagreed with his success as president.

“I'm not here for my legacy,” Biden told reporters when asked if his legacy would be better if he left the campaign. He later added: “I'm determined to run… I'm going to the places where we think we can win.”

Maria Cardona, a Democratic political strategist, gave Biden high notes at his news conference. He published in X, formerly known as Twitter, that Biden “looks and sounds great.” She acknowledged that she has a few issues, but that she was “on top of things” and showed “her strength.”

Paul Begala, former adviser to the former president bill clinton, called Biden's press conference a “tour de force” and said Biden had substance at his command. However, he said CNN's Anderson Cooper that Biden's style was not as strong as it was during his inaugural address.

Some of Biden's closest aides have been increasingly vocal about their concerns about his chances of winning re-election. Those advisers, once partisans, are now urging the president to consider stepping aside.

“He needs to drop out,” said a Biden campaign official NBC news. “He will never recover from this.”

The concern among Biden aides reflects a broader unease within the Democratic Party. Recent polls have shown that most voters do not want Biden to remain the nominee, and Democrats have expressed concern that Biden's low approval rating could drag down other candidates in the House and senate racing This internal conflict has created a sense of urgency within the campaign as advisers scramble to find a strategy to help Biden continue.

“I'm concerned that he's going to drag down the ticket,” said the Illinois Democratic representative Mike Quigleywho has called for Biden to drop out of the race, he said.

Biden's campaign team has identified Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin as crucial battleground states that could determine the outcome of the 2024 election, according to a memo obtained by the Associated Press. These states, critical to his victory in 2020, are now seen as increasingly challenging terrain. The electoral college map appears to have narrowed for Biden, as Arizona, Nevada and Georgia were left off the list of Biden's clearest path to winning re-election.

In 2020, Biden's wins in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin were critical to his victory over then-Pres. donald trump. However, recent polling data suggests that these states are not guaranteed for Democrats in 2024.

Recent Morning Consult polls have Biden only winning Michigan by five points, Wisconsin by three, and Biden losing to Trump in Pennsylvania.

Before Biden's speech, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries indicated that he would wait to hear from the entire Democratic caucus before making any decision on whether Biden should continue his re-election bid.

Jeffries' cautious approach underscores the uncertainty within the Democratic Party. While there is a general sense of loyalty to Biden, there is also a growing recognition that the party must present a strong and united front if it hopes to retain the White House. The potential for a contested primary, if Biden decides to step aside, is very close to the party's strategic calculations.

During Thursday's press conference, Biden denied that he lacks the physical strength to continue serving as president. Reacting to reports that he had to go to bed earlier, he said he just needed pace and instead of fundraising from 9pm, they should start at 8pm so people could go home before.

“My schedule has been full,” Biden said. “I've got, I don't know how many, 20 major events, some with thousands of people showing up… I just got into the groove a little bit more.”

Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump remains a formidable opponent. Polls indicate that Trump's popularity remains strong, especially in swing states. A recent poll highlighted that in New York, a traditionally Democratic stronghold, Trump is gaining ground.

“Independent voters in New York who traditionally vote for Democrats, according to exit polls, have leaned toward Trump by a 10-point margin, 43 percent to 33 percent,” said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling. may vote

The former president's ability to galvanize his followers and dominate the media landscape has kept him at the forefront of American politics. For Biden, that means not only grappling with internal party dynamics, but also preparing for a possible rematch with a highly motivated and well-organized opponent.

The combination of internal dissent, a narrow path to electoral victory and hesitant support from the party leadership creates a tumultuous environment for the incumbent president. How Biden navigates these challenges in the coming months if he remains the nominee will be crucial to his political future and the leadership of the Democratic Party.

In the face of these challenges, Biden has remained publicly steadfast. Speaking at a recent rally, he highlighted his administration's achievements and defied calls to withdraw from the election.

“For more than two centuries, America has been a free and democratic nation. And I'll be damned if in 2024, just two years before our 250th anniversary as a nation, I let Donald Trump take them away,” he said Biden. .

Although Biden maintains that he will remain in the race, some are skeptical that it will be an option for him.

“No matter what he does, it's never going to be enough for the press corps or for those people who want it done on the side,” a former administration official told Politico. “And anyone who claims after that that's what convinced them that he needs to resign, those people are cowards. If you think that, that's fine, but you should have said it earlier.”

Almost immediately after the news conference, Representative Jim Himes called for Biden to withdraw, making him the 15th Democrat in Congress to do so.

Ashley Etienne, former communications director for Vice President Kamala Harris, also seemed skeptical that Biden could save his campaign. She told Cooper it might have bought time, but added, “I'm not sure it's going to stop the bleeding.”