Biden gave no indication he would heed calls from left-wing pundits for him to drop out of the race and allow another Democrat to run in his place, telling supporters in Raleigh, North Carolina, “I intend to win this state in November . . . we win here, we win the election.”

Biden spoke to supporters in the crucial swing state after stammering through Thursday’s debate, including several instances when he lost his train of thought and had to correct himself, prompting widespread criticism even from some of former President Donald Trump’s staunchest critics, and reports that Democrats were privately discussing replacing him on the ticket.

Acknowledging concerns about his age and mental acuity, Biden, 81, told the crowd: “I know I’m not a young man, to state the obvious,” adding “I don’t walk as easy as I used to, I don’t speak as smoothly as I used to, I don’t debate as well as I used to.”

In a dig at Trump, who Biden accused of repeatedly lying throughout Thursday’s debate, the president said: “I know what I do know, I know how to tell the truth!”