Muscat: President Joe Biden, during a primetime interview with ABC News on Friday, firmly stated that only the “Lord Almighty” could convince him to end his re-election campaign. Speaking with George Stephanopoulos, Biden dismissed the need for a cognitive test to prove his fitness for another term.

At 81, Biden pushed back against suggestions from some Democratic officials and donors that he should step aside for a younger candidate following his shaky debate performance against Donald Trump. He attributed his lacklustre debate to exhaustion and a “bad cold.”

“I don’t think anybody’s more qualified to be president or win this race than me,” Biden asserted. He also attempted to calm fears within the Democratic Party by noting that pollsters have labelled the race a “toss-up.”

Despite the pressure, Biden clarified that he had no intention of withdrawing. “If the Lord Almighty came down and said, ‘Joe, get out of the race,’ I’d get out of the race,” he said, adding, “The Lord Almighty’s not coming down.”

In stark contrast to his debate performance, Biden appeared more coherent during the interview, although his voice occasionally sounded weak. This differed from his energetic appearance at a rally in Madison, Wisconsin, on Friday, where he acknowledged his poor debate performance but reaffirmed his determination to run and win again.

The rally and interview are pivotal for Biden’s campaign, with Democratic donors and allies weighing their support. Reports indicate that Biden’s campaign is planning an aggressive comeback, with First Lady Jill Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris set to embark on a campaign blitz across battleground states.

Despite some Democratic voters and officials expressing concerns about Biden’s age and mental fitness, no senior Democrats have called for him to step down. Biden’s campaign focuses on regaining ground lost to Trump as internal pressure mounts for a decisive path forward.