In a pivotal week for President Joe Biden's campaign, he is set to hold a news conference at 6:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, amidst mounting pressure for him to withdraw as the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee. The calls for Biden to step aside have come from the first Senate Democrat, Peter Welch of Vermont, and Rep. Brad Schneider of Illinois, who became the 11th House Democrat to publicly call for the end of Biden's campaign.

The controversy surrounding Biden's candidacy took a new turn when Civic Media, in agreement with the Biden campaign's request, made two edits to its interview with the president prior to its broadcast. The network's decision to make these changes has drawn criticism for falling short of "journalistic interview standards" according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

Earlier, Civic Media's Earl Ingram, one of two Black radio hosts who claimed to have received questions in advance from the Biden campaign, stated that there was no discussion or interaction regarding the four provided questions. The Biden campaign has not yet responded to requests for comment on this matter. However, a source familiar with the candidate's interview booking process revealed that the campaign plans to refrain from offering suggested questions to hosts.

Vice President Kamala Harris, at a campaign event in North Carolina, addressed the challenges faced by Biden and the campaign in recent days. Despite a growing number of Democrats calling on Biden to leave the race, Harris made no mention of it and instead emphasized Biden's resilience and determination, stating, "One thing we know about our president is that he's a fighter." Speculation surrounding a possible replacement for Biden, such as Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, has been dismissed by Beshear himself. He expressed his support for Biden as long as he remains the Democratic nominee, but stressed the need for Biden to reassure voters and provide details about his health.

Meanwhile, a recent survey from the Pew Research Center highlighted concerns among Americans about Biden's mental acuity over the past few years. The poll revealed a decline in the number of voters describing Biden as "mentally sharp," particularly among his own supporters. In contrast, voters appear to have more confidence in Trump's mental sharpness, with nearly 6 in 10 describing him as such.

As anticipation builds for President Biden's highly anticipated press conference, scheduled for Thursday night, it is noteworthy that this will be his first formal solo news conference since November 2023. All eyes will be on Biden as he addresses the nation and navigates the challenges and controversies surrounding his candidacy.