Joe Biden is causing further panic and dismay among Democrats after another hugely embarrassing gaffe, in which he appeared to mistake himself for his Vice President Kamala Harris.
The US President has faced a series of calls for him to step down by fellow Democrats and financial donors, after his catastrophic performance in his televised debate with Donald Trump last week.
The 81-year-old has since come out fighting, insisting he is not too old for America’s top job.
In an attempt to calm fears about his mental capabilities, Mr Biden has agreed to do more media interviews.
However, the move appeared to backfire spectacularly after an error-strewn performance in an interview with Philadelphia’s Wurd radio station.
He said: “By the way, I’m proud to be, as I said, the first vice-president, first black woman… to serve with a black president.”
Mr Biden served as Vice President to Barack Obama from 2008 until 2016. He appointed Kamala Harris as his second-in-command for his own campaign in 2020.
Both Mr Obama and Ms Harris made history when they were elected in 2008 and 2020, respectively – he was the first black president and she was both the first black vice-president and the first woman to hold the job.
The US President caused more anxiety when he spoke on The Earl Ingram Show, which is aimed at black listeners in Wisconsin but is also broadcast nationwide.
While answering a question on why voting mattered, he veered wildly off course and started talking about the Supreme Court’s decision to grant Trump extensive immunity from prosecution.
“You need someone, someone who is going to make sure that – the Supreme Court just issued a decision, by the way, that threatens the American principle that we have no kings in America,” he said. “There’s no one above the law.”
Mr Biden is facing growing calls from Democrats to quit the race and allow a younger candidate to take his place.
Texas Representative Lloyd Doggett became the first Democratic member of Congress to urge Biden to drop out of the presidential race.
A former aide to Barack Obama also urged the octogenarian to reconsider his position. Johanna Maska said that Mr Biden was unable “to put a sentence together” and should stand aside in a video she posted to her X channel.
Donors are also starting to pull their support for Mr Biden, with Abigail Disney becoming the latest to do so.
The heir to the Disney family fortune and a major party donor announced on Thursday that she would withhold donations unless the President dropped out of the race.
She told CNBC: “This is realism, not disrespect. If Biden does not step down the Democrats will lose. Of that I am absolutely certain. The consequences for the loss will be genuinely dire.”
An Ipsos/Reuters poll found that only Michelle Obama could beat Donald Trump as an alternative to Joe Biden.
