(NewsNation) — The Democratic National Committee is pushing to nominate President Joe Biden as soon as next week amid lingering concerns about his age.
Calls for the president to step down from the 2024 race have receded from the spotlight since Saturday’s assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, but Democrats’ anxieties haven’t vanished.
Party members planned to confirm Biden at a virtual roll call weeks before the Democratic National Convention in August. That means calls to replace Biden as the Democratic nominee may be moot within the next two weeks.
Democrats opposing his nomination atop the ticket have expressed concerns about the 81-year-old ability to serve another four years. Biden has rebuffed such comments and on Monday told NBC News he’s up for the job.
“I’ve been doing this a long time,” he said. “The idea I’m the old guy — I am. I’m old. But I’m only three years older than Trump.”
Biden went on to call his mental acuity “pretty damn good,” saying he’s “gotten more done than any president has in a long, long time in 3 1/2 years.”
Trump supporters are rallying behind the 78-year-old after he suffered an ear injury during a shooting at a campaign event in Pennsylvania. One spectator died and at least two others were injured.
The former president and presumptive GOP nominee is expected to attend each day of the Republican National Convention this week, and on Monday announced Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance as his running mate. The building momentum surrounding Trump after the shooting has loyal Biden supporters placing new emphasis on winning the November election.
Democrats have been grappling with concerns surrounding Biden’s fitness to serve after he appeared to stumble over his words and lose his train of thought at the first presidential debate in June. His performance during a July 11 solo news conference compounded those worries for some after he confused the name of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with that of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He also referred to Vice President Kamala Harris as “Vice President Trump.”
The president’s most steadfast supporters maintain they’ll back him no matter what.