Moulton says Biden's press conference did not quell concerns about his candidacy

Massachusetts Congressman Seth Moulton says President Biden's latest press conference did not allay his concerns about Biden's ability to win the election this November.

Biden spoke at the conclusion of the NATO summit in Washington D.C. Thursday night, doubling down on his commitment to stay in the presidential race. The speech included a few notable mix-ups including calling his vice president Donald Trump.

"The reality is that not having a disaster should not be the bar here," Moulton said on WBUR's Morning Edition Friday. Earlier this month, he called for the president to step aside to allow new leaders to rise up.

"We got to do a lot better than that because President Biden is behind in this race, so he doesn't just need to hold his own, he needs to do a lot better. He needs to turn this around. He needs to claw his way back because we absolutely must defeat Donald Trump in November," he added.

When asked if he thought Vice President Kamala Harris would be able to beat Trump, Moulton said that she's well qualified but also suggested Democrats hold "some sort of mini-primary between now and the convention" to find a new candidate.

"If we do have a bit of chaos at the convention — a little bit of, you know, debate and energy and everything, that's good. It'll attract attention," Moulton said. "We'll show America that Democrats are willing to lead. We're willing to make change. We're not just going to stick with the status quo. I mean, isn't that what people expect or want of politicians? They want us to be willing to respond to the concerns of people across America."

Moulton is among a number of elected Democrats and influencers calling for Biden to drop out of the race, but as of Friday morning, he was the only vocal opponent of a second Biden term among the Massachusetts delegation. After the president's press conference, U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss did not say the president should step aside but noted any future decisions by the party should be made "with unity in mind, with candor and confidentiality."