In a Friday interview with ABC News, aimed at steadying his re-election campaign after last week’s much-criticized debate performance, President Biden acknowledged his “bad” debate against former President Donald Trumpblaming a cold, and reiterated that he has no plans to drop out of the presidential race.
The interview with George Stephanopoulos it was recorded hours before ABC News broadcast it in full and took on an all-or-nothing aura. The former Speaker of the House stated that it was “essential” that Biden conduct “interviews with serious journalists” to reassure Americans that he was prepared for the challenges of a second term.
Earlier in the day, Biden held a campaign event in Madison, Wisconsin, where he again pledged to stay in the race and defeat former President Donald Trump. Despite these assurances, media reports detailed of Virginia to persuade senators to pressure Biden to withdraw from the campaign. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries reportedly in the House to discuss Biden’s continued viability as a candidate.
Here are the key takeaways from Biden’s interview Friday night:
Biden calls debate performance a ‘bad episode’ caused by being sick
During Biden’s Friday interview with ABC News, Stephanopoulos, a former Clinton aide turned journalist, asked the president whether the halting performance the nation witnessed during last week’s debate was “a bad episode or a sign of a more serious condition.”
“It was a bad episode,” Biden said. “No indication of a more serious condition. I didn’t listen to my instincts in terms of preparation. It was a bad night.
“You came back from Europe about 11 or 12 days before the debate,” Stephanopoulos continued. “You spent 6 days at Camp David. Why wasn’t there enough rest time, enough recovery time?”
“Because I was sick. I was feeling terrible,” Biden responded. “In fact, the doctors that were with me, I asked if they did a COVID test because they were trying to figure out what was wrong. They did an exam to see if I I had some infection, you know, a virus. I didn’t. I just had a really bad cold.”
Biden continues to resist calls from Democrats to step aside
Although a growing number of Democratic donors and elected officials have made public their concerns about his candidacy, Biden has remained steadfast in not being forced to abandon the race.
“But if your allies, your friends and supporters in the Democratic Party, in the House and in the Senate, tell you reliably that they are worried that you will lose the House and the Senate if you remain in office, what are you going to do?” asked Stephanopoulos.
“That’s not going to happen,” Biden responded.
‘I’m still in good shape’
Earlier this week, cited White House sources who said Biden has suffered an increase in mental lapses in recent months. Stephanopoulos questioned the president about his perception of whether he had experienced any noticeable decline.
“Are you the same man today as you were when you took office three and a half years ago?” asked Stephanopoulos.
“In terms of success, yes,” Biden responded. “I was also the guy who came up with a plan for the Middle East that may be coming to fruition. I was also the guy who expanded NATO. I was also the guy who made the economy grow. All the individual ideas that were made were things that I had or that I accomplished, I moved on.”
“Do you dispute that there have been further lapses, especially in recent months?” the host asked.
“Can I run 110 flat?” Biden joked in an apparent reference to the 110-meter hurdles race in track and field. “No, but I’m still in good shape.”
“Are you more fragile?” Stephanopoulos continued.
“No,” Biden responded, adding, “Come and keep my schedule.”
Biden did not commit to cognitive testing
Asked if he had undergone “a full neurological and cognitive evaluation,” Biden joked: “I have a full neurological test every day. And I did a complete physical exam. I had – you know, I was at Walter Reed for my physicals. I mean, yes, in response to your…
Stephanopoulos continued: “I know your doctor said he saw a neurologist. I guess what I’m asking is a slightly different question. Have you already taken specific cognitive tests and seen a neurologist, a specialist, for an exam?”
“No, no one said I needed it,” Biden responded.
Stephanopoulos pressed further, asking if he would be willing to undergo such tests and publicly release the results.
“Look,” Biden said, “I take a cognitive test every day. Every day I have this test, everything I do.”
Did Biden go back and watch the debate?
Asked if he had watched the debate again, Biden gave an oddly worded answer.
“I don’t think so,” he replied.
When Stephanopoulos pressed Biden on whether he realized the debate was going badly as the event unfolded, the president gave a lengthy answer.
“The whole way I prepared, it’s no one’s fault, my, it’s no one’s fault, but my, I, uh, I prepared what I would normally do, sitting down while I went back with foreign leaders or the National Security Council to get explicit details and I realized in the middle of it, you know, all the – I was quoted – the New York Times had me down 10 points before the debate, nine now or whatever,” Biden said. “The fact is that what I observed is that he also lied 28 times. I couldn’t, I mean, the way the debate went, no – my fault, no one else’s fault…”
Stephanopoulos then interrupted Biden. “But it seemed like you were having trouble from the first question, before he even spoke,” he said.
“Well, I had a bad night,” Biden responded.
Biden still confident he can beat Trump
Stephanopoulos, who maintained an even tone throughout the interview, asked Biden several questions about whether his health would have a negative impact on his ability to run a successful campaign and serve a second term.
“Are you sure you are being honest with yourself when you say you have the mental and physical capacity to serve another four years?” he asked.
“Yes, I am,” Biden responded.
Stephanopoulos then asked, “Are you also being honest with yourself about your ability to defeat Donald Trump?”
“Yes. Yes, yes, yes,” Biden said.
