WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Joe Biden fended off questions about his mental fitness and electability on Friday in a TV interview meant to draw a line under a disastrous debate performance that triggered calls for him to quit his re-election bid.

In Friday’s interview, ABC host George Stephanopoulos repeatedly referenced the growing Democratic clamor for a conversation on picking a new candidate, asking Biden if he would step down if convinced he couldn’t beat Trump.

“Well, it depends. If the Lord Almighty comes down and tells me that, I might do that,” he said.

Asked if staying in the race might jeopardize Democrats holding on to the White House, Biden said: “I don’t think anybody’s more qualified to be president or win this race than me.”

The president dismissed the idea that his poor debate performance against Republican rival Donald Trump was a sign of a more serious health problem.

“It was a bad episode, no indication of any serious condition. I was exhausted. I didn’t listen to my instincts in terms of preparing and — and I had a bad night,” Biden said.

He was hesitant and often incoherent during the debate against Trump in Atlanta, leading to panic within his party and calls for him to pull out of the race.

He repeatedly dismissed polling and fears within his party that the debate had gravely wounded his prospects.

The Biden campaign has pushed back hard on any suggestion he may withdraw and, just hours before the ABC interview, released an aggressive campaign travel schedule for the rest of July.

Appearing at a campaign rally in Madison, Wisconsin, the president delivered an energetic stump speech, unequivocally declaring, “I’m staying in the race. I’ll beat Donald Trump.”

Post-debate polls have shown a widening deficit in Trump’s favor, and at least four Democrats in Congress have called on Biden to step aside, as have major newspapers, donors and a raft of Democratic-supporting political commentators.