Biden rallies support in Detroit, warns of significant Trump threat
President Joe Biden participated in a pre-election rally in Detroit on Friday, during which he assured that he would not back down from the fight for the presidency. He added that Donald Trump poses a serious threat. At the same time, donations to Biden have "exploded".
"I am running and we’re going to win. I’m not going to change that," (…) It's time for us to stop treating politics like it's entertainment or a reality TV show," said President Joe Biden at the rally in Detroit. The city in Michigan is known as "Motor City" due to the Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler car factories located there.
The incumbent president's supporters gathered at the rally in Detroit, holding banners reading "Motown is Joetown" and chanting, "Don't leave."
Biden attacks Trump
During the speech, President Biden criticized the Republican "right-wing Project 2025". In Biden's opinion, it is "the biggest attack on our system of government and our personal liberty, ever proposed in the history of this country," led and funded by people of Donald Trump.
NBC News explains that Project 2025 is a 274-metre political action plan developed by Trump supporters and former administration officials, including Paul Dans and Spencer Chretien.
The implementation of this plan would lead to personnel changes in the current government administration and replace current federal employees with people loyal to Trump's vision, as well as radically change the tax code and introduce restrictions on abortion. The project is headed by the Heritage Foundation and supported by dozens of conservative groups, notes NBC News.
In a poll conducted on Friday by NPR/PBS/Marist, 16% of voters positively assessed the document, while 42% negatively.
They still count on Biden
According to NBC News, during the rally, some Biden supporters expressed frustration over attempts by some Democrats to eliminate the incumbent president from the election race. In their opinion, this weakens the party and works in favour of his political opponent, Donald Trump.
Among those who criticized Biden's departure was the deputy governor of Michigan, Garlin Gilchrist. "Some people are having too much fun appearing on TV and talking nonsense about our president,” he noted. On Friday, two prominent Democrats – Rep. James Clyburn and California Governor Gavin Newsom – stated that Biden should remain in the race for the White House.
Biden campaign spokesman Michael Tyler estimated that during Biden's Thursday evening press conference, donations to the incumbent president's campaign fund "exploded," reaching seven times the usual level.
Biden's problems in "swing states"
A poll by NPR/PBS released on Friday shows Biden leading Trump 50% to 48%, a slight increase from a survey conducted before the presidential candidates' debate on June 27. However, Reuters points out that since then, at least 19 Democratic lawmakers have called for Biden to step aside. Democrats could then choose another candidate.
Some analysts point out that Biden is losing ground in several "swing states" that will decide the outcome of the November election. "If current trends continue, Trump could achieve one of the most decisive presidential victories since 2008," predicted Democratic strategist Doug Sosnik in the "New York Times".
