Four Key Points from Biden’s ABC Interview with George Stephanopoulos
TL/DR –
President Biden’s prime-time television interview following his poor debate performance was met with criticism and doubt. Biden resisted questions about his competence and standing in the polls and downplayed his debate performance as a one-off mistake due to exhaustion and illness. Despite the criticism, Biden remains confident about his presidency, dismissing suggestions that he should step aside and stating that he would only do so if “the Lord Almighty” intervened.
President Biden’s Prime-Time Interview: Key Takeaways
In his first television interview since a lackluster debate performance, President Biden spent 22 minutes fielding questions from George Stephanopoulos on ABC News. His responses were marked by denial, dismissal, and downplaying, causing concern about his competency and standing in the polls.
The interview was Biden’s longest unscripted public appearance since the debate. The president, appearing defensive throughout, insisted his past performance should be proof enough of his future capacity. He blamed his subpar debate performance on exhaustion and illness, referring to it as a “bad episode“.
Attempting to refute claims about his cognitive ability, Biden said he takes a cognitive test every day, suggesting that his role as president itself is a test.
Is Biden’s Improved Performance Enough?
While some of Biden’s responses lacked clarity, they were not as disjointed as his previous debate performance. However, these responses failed to reassure members of his party about his ability to handle a second debate with former President Trump.
The president’s allies have come to accept that every Biden interview will be under a new harsh spotlight, as he continues to face questions about his capability to be an effective president. According to a poll by The New York Times and Siena College, three-quarters of voters now see Biden as too old to be effective.
Biden Isn’t Going Anywhere Unless Divine Intervention Occurs
Biden dismissed polling that showed his weakened position, claiming his own polls suggest the race is a “tossup”. He remained adamant about staying in the race, stating, “They’re trying to push me out of the race…I’m staying in the race.”
In a revealing response, when asked how he would feel if Trump were sworn in as president in January, Biden said, “I’ll feel as long as I gave it my all and I did the good as job as I know I can do, that’s what this is about.”
However, for a Democratic Party warning that Trump is an existential threat to the nation, the race is about something much simpler: victory. The interpretation of Biden’s final quote in the interview has been subject to revisions by many news organizations to capture his intended meaning accurately.
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