Richard Arnold: US Correspondent on the division in the Democrats on Biden's insistence on running

As world leaders descend on Washington DC for NATO talks, domestic politics remains front of mind in the US, UK, and France. 

Donald Trump is hitting the campaign trail in Florida and Pennsylvania just days before he's due to unveil a running mate at next week's Republican National Convention. 

Joe Biden is continuing to fend off questions over his re-election bid. 

US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Andrew Dickens the Democrats are divided, Steve Cohen saying they’re not on the same page, “not even the same book”. 

He said that world leaders will be making their own assessments of Biden’s strengths as he hosts the NATO conference. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Richard Arnold from the United States of America. Good morning
to you, sir.

Speaker 2 (00:03):
What are you, Andrew?

Speaker 1 (00:05):
So the House is back and there's lots of closed
door meetings for the Democrats. Gee, what are they talking about?

Speaker 2 (00:10):
Well, it's House divided as they talk about what Joe
Biden should be doing in terms of running for the presidency. Again,
they met for two hours on the House side. When
they came out of that session, Democrats Steve Cohen was
asked if there is part of unity on Biden's apparent
bid to stay in the race, What do you mean
You're not on the same page, not even in the

(00:33):
same not even the same book. Senate Democrats are holding
a similar session. To this point, President Biden is showing
increasing insistence that he will remain as the presumptive nominee,
and he has challenged any rivals.

Speaker 1 (00:48):
I'm frustrated by the leaf if these guys, I don't
think I should want some run against me.

Speaker 2 (00:54):
Still, many of the Democrats emerging from the House session
are describing a feeling of deep sadness in their ranks,
says Sewn easton.

Speaker 1 (01:04):
Great sadness that we are not having a conversation about
the fact that we have two people.

Speaker 3 (01:08):
Learnning for president. One of them has a record that
anybody would be proud to have, and the other one
is an adjudicated rapist or twice in beached convicted felony.

Speaker 2 (01:16):
Well, they're not voicing a lot of enthusiasm, says congress
Member Richie Torres.

Speaker 3 (01:20):
It's the president declines to the voluntarily, then he's going
to be our nominee and we have to make the
best of a complicated situation.

Speaker 2 (01:29):
And Democrat Diana Priestley.

Speaker 3 (01:32):
There are.

Speaker 2 (01:35):
Changes that people need to see to continue to feel
comfortable again. Not rousing support is it. Two groups are
giving stronger backing to Biden. The Hispanic Caucus any Bike Coucus,
who's member greet Meeks, says.

Speaker 3 (01:49):
I just met with the Prime Minister of New Zealand
and Australia. So the whole democratic world, those of us
who share the same values. Joe Biden has led that
and brought us together.

Speaker 2 (02:00):
Where reslux is getting into American politics behind you, he
said non Zi by that his aim is to work
with whoever winds up in the White House. But this
is another crunch day for Biden, who has a lot
on his plate this day and is well. He is
facing a full agenda here with a news conference on Friday,
his first in eight months, and.

Speaker 1 (02:18):
He's got the seventy fifth anniversary of NATO to get through.

Speaker 2 (02:21):
That's right. World leaders will be making their own assessment
of Biden's strengths as he starts hosting this event in Washington.
Biden has become the strongest support of NATO's since Bush Senior,
but the shadow of his dismal debate performance is hanging
over this meeting as well. So the NATO events are
likely to delay a lot of open politicking here, and
the NATO gathering also will focus lightly on Ukraine. Biden

(02:43):
condemning today's Ussian attack on that children's hospital in Kiev,
which he calls a quote horrific reminder of Russia's brutality.
The Russians are claiming without evidence that it was a
Western supplied missile that went a Ryan hit the place
are Ukraine's president Zelenski will deliver a major speech in
Washington sidelines of the summit. Zelenski says thirty eight people

(03:03):
are killed in today's daylight Russian rocket attack, with four
children among the dead. The NATO summit is occurring not
only with Biden Democrats in disarray, but amid NATO concerns
about it possible Trump returns. Since Trump has shown little
interest in Ukraine or NATO, that is very much in
the mind of world readers as Ukraine seeks assurance of
continuing banking, even as US analytics are saying now Russia

(03:25):
is unlikely to take much more Ukrainian territory. This shocking
war has devastated parts of Ukraine, as we know, with
more Ukrainians killed and all the Allies who died in
either Vietnam or Afghanistan, and with Russian casualties now estimated
at around one hundred and twenty thousand killed and perhaps
one hundred and eighty thousand more wounded.

Speaker 1 (03:44):
Richard Arnold for the Utter of States of America, I
thank you for your timing.

Speaker 2 (03:47):
For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to
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Speaker 3 (03:51):
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