Joe Biden insists only “God Almighty” can convince him to quit the US presidential race, in what could be a decisive TV interview aimed at quelling a burgeoning insurgency within the Democratic Party.
In an exchange that contained no major gaffes but was unlikely to appease critics, ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos asked Biden what he would have done if he had gone on to win the nomination and lost to Donald Trump. What a feeling. “I would feel like as long as I do my best, do the best I can, do the best job I can, that’s what it’s about,” the president responded.
In other responses that his opponents might view as arrogant or out of touch with reality, the 81-year-old claimed that he was “ruling the world” and that no one was “more qualified” to be president.
Friday’s interview comes at a critical time as the 81-year-old is trying to salvage his jeopardized re-election campaign after a disastrous debate performance last month. Four members of Congress have called on Biden to step down, and Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner is reportedly seeking to convene a group of Democratic senators to ask the president to abandon his re-election bid.
But on Friday, the embattled president continued to strike a defiant tone as he addressed Stephanopoulos in Madison, Wisconsin, after a fiery campaign rally. “Look. I mean, if the Lord Almighty came down and said, ‘Joe, quit the game,’ I would quit the game,” he said after the rally, his voice sounding nervous. “The Lord Almighty will not come.”
Biden insisted they would continue to support him after meeting with Democratic leaders including Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, Nancy Pelosi and state governors.
Stephanopoulos, a former senior adviser to President Bill Clinton, pressed Biden if he was informed that his friends and supporters feared his candidacy would cost Democrats the House and Senate. seat, what would he do.
The president responded: “I’m not going to answer that question. It’s not going to happen.“
In the prime-time interview, Stephanopoulos quoted Pelosi, who this week questioned whether Biden’s weak performance represented a blip or a condition.
“This was a bad episode,” Biden insisted. “There was no sign of anything serious. I was exhausted. I didn’t listen to my instincts in terms of preparation – I had a bad night.
Stephanopoulos noted that Biden returned from Europe 12 days before the debate and spent six days at Camp David, the presidential retreat. “Why isn’t there enough rest time, enough recovery time? he asks.
The president responded: “Because I was sick. I felt bad. In fact, the doctors were with me. I asked them if they had done a COVID-19 test because they were trying to find out what the problem was. They did a test to see if Did I have a virus? I didn’t. I just had a bad cold.
Stephanopoulos asked Biden if he watched the debate afterward. Rather than express a clear yes or no, he evaded: “I don’t think I said that, no.”
The interviewer then asked Biden what he experienced during the debate and whether he knew how bad it was. As he did that night, the president’s answers went from one point to the next. He said, “Yes, you see. The whole process of my preparation, no one’s fault, mine. No one’s fault but me.”
“I – I prepared what I would normally sit down and do because I do come back with foreign leaders or the National Security Council to seek clear details. I realized that — in the process, you know, all — –The New York Times quoted me as saying, I was disappointed, it was a 10 before the debate, now it’s a 9, or whatever it is.
“The truth is, I saw him lie 28 times as well. I can’t – I mean, the way the argument goes, it’s not – my fault, no one else’s fault, no one else’s fault.
Stephanopoulos questioned Biden and said concerns about his fitness for public office follow a pattern, citing a recent New York Times article reporting that his missteps have become increasingly frequent, obvious and egregious. People worry.
Biden said: “Can I rent apartment 110? No.
When asked if he would be willing to conduct an independent cognitive assessment and release the results to the American people, Biden said: “Look, I have cognitive tests every day. I test every day. Everything I do. You know , I’m not just running, I’m running the world. This may sound exaggerated, but we are the most important country in the world.
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The interviewer asked, “Are you sure you were being honest with yourself when you said you were mentally and physically capable of serving another four years?”
Biden retorted: “Yes, I do because, George, the last thing I want to do is not be able to achieve this goal. I think, as some senior economists and senior foreign policy experts have said, if I stop now, I will Going down in history as a very successful president, no one thought I could accomplish what we’ve accomplished.“
ABC broadcast the 22-minute interview to a national audience. It’s part of a major weekend campaign effort to ease doubts about Biden’s fitness to be president and his ability to defeat Trump.
The Biden campaign’s response to the crisis over the past few days has frustrated many Democrats. Some financial backers are postponing or canceling upcoming fundraisers.
At least four House Democrats have called for him to resign as nominee: Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, Lloyd Doggett of Texas, Raul Grijalva of Arizona and Illinois’ McQuigley is pushing for alternatives. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said in a carefully worded statement on Friday that it was now up to Biden to make a decision on the “best way forward.”
In the interview, Biden dismissed those calls, as well as polls showing him with lower approval ratings, and claimed he was still better positioned than other candidates to defeat Trump. “I don’t think there’s anyone better qualified to be president or to win this election than me,” he fumed.
Stephanopoulos continued: “The core of your accusation against Donald Trump is that he is self-absorbed and puts his personal interests ahead of those of the country. How do you respond to critics who say that continuing to run is doing the same thing? ?
Biden responded impatiently: “Oh, come on. I don’t think those critics know what you’re talking about. That’s not right. Look, Trump is a pathological liar. You’ve seen Trump do anything beneficial.” To someone other than himself?
The president may only have days to prove he can defeat Trump. Early reactions to his rallies and interviews have been mixed.
“The Democratic Party needs to have a backbone, or grow one – one or the other,” Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. John Fetterman wrote on social media platform X. “Joe Biden is our man.” .
But David Axelrod, former strategist to Barack Obama, wrote: “The president is proud of his record, and rightfully so. But he is dangerously disengaged. This has raised concerns about his ability to move forward and his standing in this race. Four years ago at this time, he was 10 points ahead of Trump. Today, he is six points behind.
