He is holding his first post-debate news conference.
President Joe Biden is facing a critical point in his reelection bid as Democratic calls for him to exit the 2024 race continue to mount despite his efforts to shut them down.
A poor debate performance against Donald Trump reignited questions about Biden's age and fitness to carry out his campaign and serve another four years. Biden has defiantly insisted he is staying the course, telling lawmakers this week he is not going anywhere.
Thursday evening, Biden held his first post-debate news conference.
Biden addressed his previous statements that Vice President Kamala Harris "would be ready on Day One."
The president touted Harris' work with women's reproductive health issues and her time in the Senate.
"I wouldn't have picked her unless I thought she was qualified to be president. From the very beginning, I made no bones about that. She is qualified to be president. That's why I picked her," he said.
Biden was asked to address his gaffe earlier Thursday in which he introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a meeting about the Ukraine Compact at the NATO summit as Russia's President Putin, and if other world leaders needing to step in and make excuses is "damaging" to America's standing in the world.
"Do you see any damage by me leading this conference?" Biden responded. "Have you seen a more successful conference? I was talking about Putin and at the very end I said, I'm sorry, Zelenskyy."
"I thought it was the most successful conference I've attended in a long time," he later said.
Biden was asked how it might hurt his place in the history books if he were to keep running and lose to Trump in November - but insisted he's not concerned. Instead, he said, his focus is continuing four more years of policies to grow the economy and help the middle class.
"I'm not in this for my legacy," Biden said. "I'm in this to complete the job I started."
Biden began his question and answer session by responding to a question about the growing calls for him to step aside from his campaign.
The president said there was "a long way to go in this campaign."
"So, I am just going to keep moving, keep moving, because look, I've got more work to do, more work to finish," he said.
