MADISON, Wis. (NEWSnet/AP) — President Joe Biden insisted he could serve for another term during a campaign rally in Wisconsin Friday, while also participating in a television interview intended to be a debate follow up.

The interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, being taped after a campaign rally in Madison, Wisconsin, is expected to be intensive, and two people familiar with the president’s efforts said he had been preparing aggressively.  A preview was included in Friday’s edition of "World News Tonight with David Muir;" and ABC News will air the interview in its entirety as a primetime special at 8 p.m. Eastern Friday.

Friday's schedule was part of his effort this week to rebound from a disastrous first debate with Donald Trump on June 27, as questions arise as to who Democrats would support if the president drops out — or what it would mean if he stays in.

In the meantime, Biden has focused on proving his capacity to remain as president. When asked whether he would halt his campaign, he said he was “completely ruling that out” and said he is “positive” he could serve for another four years.

For example, during a campaign stop earlier in the day, Biden again acknowledged in front of hundreds of supporters his subpar debate performance. And amid speculation over what he would do, he had an answer: “I am running, and I’m going to win again.”

“I beat Donald Trump,” Biden said, as a crowd that had gathered in a middle school cheered and waved campaign signs. “I will beat him again.”

Biden, relying on a teleprompter for those remarks, attacked his presumptive Republican challenger almost immediately, blasting Trump by pointing out that the former president once said that “George Washington’s army won the revolution by taking control of the airports from the British.”

As the crowd laughed, Biden continued, “Talk about me misspeaking.”

In his speech, Biden tried to flip the questions swirling about his age, asking the crowd rhetorically whether he was “too old” to have passed gun legislation, created jobs and helped ease student loan debt — while suggesting he’d do more in a second presidential term.

Biden, age 81, is the likely candidate for the Democratic party while former president Donald Trump, age 77, is the likely candidate for the Republican party. Neither party has held its nominations yet, this first debate happened in the weeks between the last primary contest and the party conventions.

Democratic lawmakers, who are hearing from constituents at home during the holiday week, seem to be split on whether Biden should stay or go.

Verbal glitches are not out of the ordinary for Biden, and he is known to have a stutter, but his physical behavior and appearance is getting magnified attention in this environment.

At least three House Democrats have called for Biden to step down as the nominee, with Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., joining Texas Rep. Lloyd Doggett and Arizona Rep. Raúl Grijalva in pushing for an alternative. While not going that far, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said in a carefully worded statement Friday that Biden now has a decision to make on “the best way forward.”

Yet pushback from other House Democrats was fierce, and none of the letters from either Democrats in competitive reelection bids or those in easier races that were reportedly being discussed were ever made public.

In the coming weeks, Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, first lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff are scheduled to travel to every battleground state, while organizers are planning to knock on more than 3 million doors in July and August to reach out to voters in a new $17 million effort.

His 2024 campaign has paired up those in-person events with a $50 million ad campaign this month meant to capitalize on high viewership moments like the Summer Olympics that begin in Paris on July 26.

One event that Biden backed out of is the National Education Association gathering in Philadelphia on Sunday, as the group’s strike was announced Friday. The president will not cross a picket line, the campaign said.

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