Biden’s News Conference Answered Many Questions. But Not the Big One.
The New York Times
For once, a presidential Q. and A. was must-see TV. But it didn’t put an end to the summer’s biggest drama.
Follow the latest Biden news and election updates.
There were many questions at President Biden’s nearly hourlong news conference on Thursday night — questions about Gaza, Ukraine, the campaign, his health, his record.
But at its heart there was only one question: Could he do it?
That is, could Mr. Biden, who stunned viewers and his party and George Clooney with a doddering performance at the first presidential debate two weeks ago, stand and deliver? Could he be coherent? Could he dispel the talk of age and frailty and decline? Could he beat the doubters who want him to step down from the ticket? Could he look like a winner?
On a national TV stage, Mr. Biden answered the individual questions, often comfortably, sometimes defensively, with depth and engagement and flashes of passion. As for the uber-question, the answer was incomplete. He was not the uncomfortable, lost presence of the debate, but he didn’t erase the memory of that version of himself either. He came across as the president he wants to be, but not necessarily the candidate his critics have said he needs to be.
Presidential news conferences are rarely must-see TV. But the stakes — heightened by reports that some Democrats were waiting for it before weighing in on whether Mr. Biden should remain the nominee — gave this one the air of a test, if not a last stand.
With a new video podcast, the influential authors and former nemeses aim to inject a dose of rationality and humility into your algorithm.
Online wagering is all the rage. But the crowdsourced data generally doesn’t interest experts who have built a brand predicting Academy Awards races.
Online wagering is all the rage. But the crowdsourced data generally doesn’t interest experts who have built a brand predicting Academy Awards races.
Since Richard Grenell was appointed by President Trump, the arts center has endured a wave of cancellations and departures. It will soon close for lengthy renovations.
Best-selling and award-winning authors spoke to us about how canines can spark creativity.
In these videos, directors walked us through pivotal sequences from their 2026 Academy Award-nominated films.
Drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound have been hailed as miracle treatments. But one in 10 people are what scientists call “non-responders.”
“Sinners” and “One Battle After Another” have been neck and neck all season. Here’s what our expert thinks will go the distance.
The award, one of the most prestigious in the field of American history, honors “scope, significance, depth of research and richness of interpretation.”
The Meta C.E.O. bought a waterfront compound for $170 million, The Wall Street Journal reported. Ivana Trump’s townhouse and a “Breaking Bad” house also sold.
A settlement is reached in the case of Mike Disfarmer, who renounced his family. Decades later they sued to take back his life’s work. When heirs battle the people who built their legacies, the art may be at stake.
The things that make Liza Liza.
At 67, the actress is still reinventing herself, with two new TV shows, “The Madison” and “Margo’s Got Money Troubles,” and an evolving attitude about her work.