Biden says he's staying in race in first news conference since debate

President Joe Biden slipped at times, but said he's still best to beat Trump in November

President Joe Biden addresses reporters at his first news conference since the presidential debate. (Screenshot of C-SPAN by Tom LoBianco/24sight News.)

President Joe Biden opened his first news conference since the presidential debate Thursday by saying he’s staying in the race, amid widespread calls for him to step down from the nomination.

“The question I ask myself is, ‘Am I getting the job done?’” Biden said. “If I slow down, I can't get the job done. That's a sign that I shouldn't be doing this. But there's no indication of that yet.”

The president slipped at times, at one point referring to Vice President Kamala Harris as “Vice President Trump”, but delivered a stronger performance Thursday night than he has in other recent events. Biden delivered cogent answers, touting his strength in office and in navigating the complex global relationships like between the U.S. and ascendant superpower China.

He also hit back at Russian President Vladimir Putin, who’s still engaged in a lengthy war against Ukraine. 

"I'm not ready to talk to Putin unless he's ready to change his behavior," Biden said, arguing the West cannot let Russia take Ukraine.

Speaking at the conference honoring the 75th anniversary of the creation of NATO, Biden was asked if he was approached by America’s NATO allies about stepping down amid fears he would lose to Trump and the U.S. would back out of the historic alliance.

Biden said he heard the opposite from his NATO colleagues.

“What I hear them say is, ‘You've got to win. I can't let this guy come forward, it'd be a disaster,” Biden said.

Biden also got in some shots on Trump throughout conference, saying that he’s been working much harder fulltime as president and candidate than his opponent.