In a television interview on Friday, US President Joe Biden deflected questions on his electability and mental health in an attempt to put a stop to his dismal debate performance, which led to demands that he withdraw his reelection campaign.
Feelings of discontent among some Democratic voters, politicians, and fundraisers were growing, and the one-on-one meeting with the ABC network was billed as the most important of the 81-year-old president’s illustrious career.
However, the 22-minute sit-down seemed to offer little comfort as Joe Biden continued to downplay polls and party concerns that the debate had seriously harmed his chances while blaming illness for his poor performance.
“I was feeling sick and I felt terrible. “I simply had a really bad cold,” the president remarked, making his first extended unscripted statement since his confrontation with Republican opponent Donald Trump last week.
The purpose of the interview was to help Biden weather the storm, but his rough voice and rambling responses immediately prompted criticism from Democrats for coming across as “out of touch.”
“I don’t think anybody’s more qualified to be president or win this race than me,” Biden responded when asked if continuing in the race would put Democrats’ chances of winning the presidency in jeopardy.
He declined requests for a mental health evaluation, claiming that his duties as president need “a daily cognitive test.” I have to pass that exam every day for all I do.”
As the program aired, the Trump campaign jokingly stated on social media that “Biden sounds great” before declaring that the president “is in denial and in decline.”
The interview followed Biden’s sluggish and sometimes nonsensical performance in the Atlanta debate against Trump, which sent shockwaves through his party and prompted demands for him to withdraw from the contest.
During Friday’s interview, Joe Biden was asked if he would resign if he was certain he couldn’t defeat Trump. ABC anchor George Stephanopoulos brought up the rising Democratic demand for a discussion on selecting a new candidate on many occasions.
“Well, that depends. He responded, “I might do that if the Lord Almighty comes down and tells me that.”
In an afterthought, Biden said, “I don’t think I did, no,” indicating that he had not seen the debate.
He also rejected the notion that his subpar performance was an indication of a more significant medical issue.
