乔·拜登总统正在努力应对日益增长的他辩论表现的影响,呼吁退出和对他年龄的批评周日，他在费城的一个黑人教堂找到了避风港，那里的会众开始为他辩护。
“拜登总统，我们想让你知道，莫里斯主教已经91岁了，快要92岁了，”芒特艾里基督上帝教堂主教j·路易斯·费尔顿在谈到该教堂的创始人欧内斯特·c·莫里斯老主教时说。
“所以，总统先生，既然你只是坐在一个九十多岁的人旁边的一个八十多岁的人，就不要让任何人谈论你的年龄。你是一个自以为是的年轻人，”费尔顿在介绍81岁的拜登时继续说道，引起了总统的笑声和观众的掌声。
后来，在他的布道中，费尔顿直面拜登的批评，称应该给予更多的关注前总统唐纳德·特朗普的虚假陈述.
“我不知道为什么你要拿总统和他的状况做文章，在某些时候，当另一个人流利地撒谎时，他口吃，不能说出话来，而你从来没有质疑过他的谎言，”费尔顿对欢呼说。
当拜登在费尔顿之后站起来发言时，他表示感谢支持。
"费尔顿先生，谢谢你的介绍和感人的布道。感谢这个令人难以置信的集会，感谢你们欢迎我。
“无论在顺境还是逆境中，我总是能感受到你们信仰的力量，”拜登后来谈到黑人教堂时说。“事实是，圣经上说，所有的事情一起工作是为了好。敬那些爱上帝的人，我们是照着他的旨意来召他们的。我们的目的是服务他人。”
“我们都是不完美的人，”总统接着说。“我们不知道信仰会在什么时候把我们带到什么地方。但我们知道的是，我们可以寻求光明、希望、爱和真理的生活。不管怎样，我们可以寻求那种生活。带着我们所有的经验，付出我们所拥有的一切，一起工作，因为当我们这样做的时候，你不能阻止我们。”
拜登称赞教会在帮助美国实现平等理想方面发挥的作用，他说，因为教会，美国“从未完全离开它。”
“这是因为你和你之前的几代人领导教会从奴隶制走向自由。总是祈祷，总是相信快乐会在早晨到来，”拜登说。“你从来没有放弃过。和我的生活，作为你们的总统，我努力践行我的信念。”
费尔顿在早些时候的讲话中说，美国需要“看到一些改变的爱”
“这就是为什么我相信掌管一切的上帝干涉了总统的日程。他原定今天在一个会议上发言，但上帝知道拜登总统需要一些爱，今天把他送到这里，这样我们就可以展示给他看，”费尔顿说。
拜登将于周日在费城举行的全国教育协会会议上发表讲话，但他的竞选团队周五宣布，他退出了，因为该组织的员工工会举行罢工，总统不会越过纠察线。
“拜登总统，你不仅是我的朋友，你还是我的家人，”费尔顿继续说道。“我们不是来痛打你、贬低你、批评你、夸大你的缺点或错误的。我们来爱你。”
费尔顿承认拜登发现自己处于危险的政治地位，他说拜登会找到出路。
费尔顿说:“如果耶稣能从坑里出来，拜登总统就会回来。”“他是一个东山再起的孩子，他是一个斗士，他是一个冠军，他是一个胜利者。”
费尔顿祈祷说:“我们的总统感到沮丧，但今天，通过您的圣灵，更新他的思想、精神和身体。”"他是我们在这个艰难时期需要的人。"
之后，拜登去了教堂里的一个单独的地方，问候教徒并自拍。
“我能得到你的拥抱吗?”一名妇女问拜登，拜登在她的脸颊上吻了一下，其他人则要求拍照。
有一次，另一个女人说，“我们不想让他筋疲力尽。”
当天晚些时候，拜登告诉记者，他的政党支持他。
“总统先生，民主党支持你吗，先生?”一名记者在哈里斯堡的停机坪上喊道，拜登将在这里进行他今天的第三次竞选活动。
“是的，”拜登回答道。
Black churchgoers in Philadelphia come to Biden's defense amid fallout over debate performance
As President Joe Biden contends with the growingfallout from his debate performance,calls to drop outandcriticism of his age, he found safe harbor at a Black church in Philadelphia on Sunday, where the congregation came to his defense.
"We want you to know, President Biden, that Bishop Morris is 91 years old on his way to 92," Mount Airy Church of God in Christ Bishop J. Louis Felton said of the church's founder, Bishop Ernest C. Morris Sr.
"And so, Mr. President, since you are only an octogenarian sitting next to a nonagenarian, don't let anybody talk about your age. You're a young whippersnapper," Felton continued during his introduction of 81-year-old Biden, eliciting a laugh from the president and applause from the audience.
Later, during his sermon, Felton took on Biden's critics head-on, saying more attention should be given toformer President Donald Trump's false statements.
"I don't know why it is that you want to make an issue of the president and his condition with stammering and not being able, at certain times, to bring forth words while another person lies fluently and you never challenge his lies," Felton said to cheers.
Biden, when he got up to speak after Felton, said he was grateful for the support.
"Mr. Felton, thank you for that introduction and moving sermon. And thank you, this incredible congregation, for welcoming me as you have," Biden said.
"I've always felt the power of your faith in good times and in tough times," Biden later added of the Black church. "Fact is, the Scripture says, all things work together for good. To those who love God are in our call according to His purpose. Our purpose is to serve others."
"We're all imperfect beings," the president went on to say. "We don't know where or what faith will deliver us to or when. But we do know is that we can seek a life of light, hope, love and truth. No matter what, we can seek that life. Take all of our experiences and give everything we have to work together, because when we do, you can't stop us."
Biden praised the church for its role in helping America live up to the ideal of equality, saying that because of the church, America has "never full walked away from it."
"And that's because of you and generations before you who led the church from slavery to freedom. Always praying, always believing that joy cometh in the morning," Biden said. "You've never given up. And my life, and as your president, I've tried to walk my faith."
In his earlier remarks, Felton said America needed to "see some love for a change."
"That is why I believe God, who is in charge of everything, interfered [with] the president's schedule. He was previously scheduled to speak at a conference today, but God knew President Biden need[ed] some love and sen[t] him here today so we can show him," Felton said.
Biden was to speak at the National Education Association's conference in Philadelphia on Sunday, but his campaign announced Friday that he backed out because the group's staff union went on strike, and the president would not cross a picket line.
"President Biden, you are not only among friends, you're among family," Felton continued. "We did not come to beat up on you, to put you down, to criticize you, to magnify your flaws or mistakes. We come to love you."
With a nod to the precarious political position Biden finds himself in, Felton said Biden will find his way out.
"If Jesus could get out of the pit, President Biden is coming back," Felton said. "He's a comeback kid, he's a fighter, he's a champion, he's a winner."
"Our president gets discouraged but today, through your Holy Spirit, renew his mind, renew his spirit, renew his body," Felton prayed. "He's the man we need in these terrible times."
Afterward, Biden went to a separate space in the church to greet congregants and snap selfies.
"Can I get a hug from you?" one woman asked Biden, who gave her a kiss on the cheek, as others asked for pictures.
At one point, another woman said, "We don't want to wear him out."
Later in the day, Biden told reporters that his party was behind him.
"Mr. President, is the Democratic Party behind you, sir?" a reporter shouted on the tarmac in Harrisburg, where Biden is set to make his third campaign stop of the day.
"Yes," Biden responded.
