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Transcript/Script((PLAYBOOK SLUG: E24 0705 FOURTH OF JULY
HEADLINE: Biden says he 'screwed up' in presidential debate
TEASER: Trump doing little to distract from his opponent’s struggles
PUBLISHED AT: (7/4/24 & 7:49p)
BYLINE: Scott Stearns
CONTRIBUTOR: Evgeny Maslov
DATELINE: Denver
VIDEOGRAPHER: Vladimir Badikov
VIDEO EDITOR:
ASSIGNING EDITOR: Bush
SCRIPT EDITORS: Baragona, Reifenrath, DJ (ok)
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA, AP, REUTERS
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO _X_
TRT: 3:36
VID APPROVED BY: Reifenrath
TYPE: TVR
EDITOR NOTES:))
((INTRO)) U.S. President Joe Biden says he “screwed up” in last week’s debate with Donald Trump but is staying in the race for reelection. VOA Correspondent Scott Stearns looks at the state of the presidential campaign as Americans celebrated their Independence Day.
((NAT POP marching band))
((NARRATOR))
Fourth of July celebrations in presidential election years are usually a time for patriotic campaigning with flag-waving supporters.
((NARRATOR))
But this year, neither of the leading candidates is on the campaign trail
((NARRATOR))
following their first debate last week,
((NARRATOR))
with President Joe Biden trying to reassure supporters after his sometimes-halting performance
((NARRATOR))
and his challenger Donald Trump doing little to distract from his opponent’s struggles.
((NARRATOR))
In a Fourth of July interview with Wisconsin radio station WAUK, Biden said he did not ((Mandatory Courtesy: Civic Media Radio Network's Earl Ingram Show On 540 AM WAUK))
have a good debate last Thursday.
((Voice of Joe Biden, US President))
"I had a bad night. I had a bad night. And the fact of the matter is that, you know, I screwed up. I made a mistake. But I learned from my father, when you get knocked down, just get back up.” ((end courtesy))
((NARRATOR))
The Biden campaign is trying to help get their candidate back up with endorsements from leading Democratic Party governors, including New York’s Kathy Hochul.
((Kathy Hochul, New York Governor))
“I'm here to tell you today, President Joe Biden is in it to win it. And all of us said we pledged our support to him because the stakes could not be higher.”
((NARRATOR))
Trump allies in Congress are feeding Democratic Party anxieties about Biden. House Speaker Mike Johnson.
((Rep. Mike Johnson, House Speaker))
“I think they know they have a serious problem. But it's not just political. It's not just the Democratic Party. It's the entire country. We have a serious problem here because we have a president who, by all appearances, is not up to the task, and these are very dangerous times.”
((NARRATOR))
Post-debate polling by CNN shows 56 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning registered voters now saying they have a better chance of winning with a candidate other than Biden.
All campaigns go through cycles, says University of Texas history professor Jeremi Suri, but questions about Biden’s health are here to stay.
((Jeremi Suri, University of Texas at Austin))
“He might still win this election. In fact, he still might be the favorite to win this election if he stays in, but his campaign was hoping that the debate would put the concerns about his health to rest. Those concerns about his health will not go to rest. They will be with us if he stays in the campaign every day of the campaign.”
((NARRATOR))
The Trump campaign had no public events this week, with a statement saying it would, quote, “continue to build off the momentum earned by President Trump to grow our movement, raise the money we need to win, and head into the fall poised for a historic victory.”
((COURTESY: Truth Social))
((NAT POP campaign video))
((NARRATOR))
Trump marked Fourth of July with a video on his Truth Social website in which he said America is one of the greatest stories ever told.
((NAT: Donald Trump from Truth Social video 0:33))
((Voice of Donald Trump, Republican Presidential Candidate))
“We will never forget that we are Americans, and the future belongs to us. The spirit of American independence will never fade, never fail, but will reign forever and ever and ever. To every citizen throughout our land, have a glorious Independence Day.” ((end courtesy))
((NARRATOR))
With his Republican Party preparing for its political convention this month, Trump may benefit from a more moderate approach as his opponent struggles, says University of Texas professor Suri.
((Jeremi Suri, University of Texas at Austin))
“What Donald Trump would want to do, it seems to me, is not only to show vigor but to show reasonableness. To make it so it's not a liar versus a feeble old man, but maybe a feeble old man versus a reasonable candidate.”
((NARRATOR))
From the Fourth of July to Election Day in November, Biden and Trump have 125 more days to convince voters that they are the right choice.
((Scott Stearns, VOA News))
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