(Image source from: AP)

Energized Joe Biden came out swinging on Friday, determined to make up for a disastrous debate against Donald Trump. He insisted he was the right person to win the upcoming US presidential election. Biden's appearance at a campaign rally in the battleground state of North Carolina came amidst concerns within his worried Democratic Party about replacing the 81-year-old as their nominee, and shortly before a prominent national newspaper urged him to step aside. "I may not move or speak as smoothly as I once did, and I don't debate as well as I used to," Biden acknowledged to his supporters in unusually candid remarks. "But I know how to tell the truth, and I know how to do this job," he said, earning thunderous cheers. Biden vowed, "When you get knocked down, you get back up." His team had been in damage-control mode after Thursday's debate, where he often hesitated, stumbled over words, and lost his train of thought - exacerbating fears about his ability to serve another term. Biden had hoped to alleviate concerns about his advanced age and expose Trump as a habitual liar.

In a televised clash, the incumbent spewed a barrage of untruths and misleading claims, covering a wide range of topics from the economy to immigration policies. On Friday, Biden took the opportunity to voice the sentiments Democrats wished they had conveyed during the debate. He bluntly stated, "Did you see Trump last night? I believe he set a new record for the most lies told in a single debate." Biden emphasized that Trump poses a genuine threat to the nation, to its freedoms, to its democracy, and to the very ideals America stands for. Responding in kind, Trump returned to the campaign trail, lashing out at Biden in a rambling speech, asserting that it's not Biden's age, but rather his competence that is in question.