"They’ve been hammering me": Biden goes on the offensive in an effort to strengthen his campaign

President Biden, who has increasingly framed a push for his ouster as one from elites and the ultra-rich, tried to throw a death blow to charges for him to exit the race during a Friday Detroit, Michigan campaign event.

In an impassioned speech, championing a record on labor rights and promising higher taxes on billionaires, Biden took shots at Trump’s past, and the candidate’s own gaffes.

The president jabbed at Trump’s shark fixation, before accusing the press of creating a double standard on its coverage of his age.

“You may have noticed that since the debate, the press — and they’re good guys and women up there — they’ve been hammering me,” Biden said. “I guess they don’t remember that Trump called Nancy Pelosi Nikki Haley. Donald, no more free passes.”

Having vigorously resisted a two-week-long push from top Democratic strategists, donors, and pundits to knock him off the ticket, Biden shot past addressing his critics and went on the offensive against his opponent.

“We’re gonna shine a spotlight on Donald Trump. We’re gonna do what the press, so far, hasn’t,” Biden said, citing Trump’s criminal conviction and inspiring the crowd to cheer “lock him up.”

Throughout his reelection campaign, Biden has drawn attention to Project 2025, the far-right plan to re-shape the Federal government, and has also laid out his first 100 days of a second term, promising a restoration of Roe v. Wade and expanded voting rights, alongside Social Security and Medicare improvements financed by taxes on the wealthy.

Biden left Detroit voters, a union stronghold city, with a message of support for workers, rather than the wealthy.

“I don’t work for big oil, I don’t work for big pharma, I don’t work for the National Rifle Association, I work for you, the American people,” Biden said.