President Biden tried to excuse his disappointing performance during last week’s first presidential debate with President Donald Trump, telling ABC host George Stephanopoulos on Friday night that he was “exhausted” and “not feeling well” with a “bad cold.”
Biden, 81, stressed that his frequent missteps onstage at the CNN debate in Atlanta on June 27 were a “bad episode” rather than a sign of permanent decline, adding that his poor performance was “my fault, nobody else’s fault.”
But when Stephanopoulos asked Biden if he watched the debate, Biden replied, “I don’t think I did.”
The interview with Stephanopoulos, due to air in full later Friday, was seen as a make-or-break moment for the president’s reelection campaign, with speculation swirling about his political future and polls showing strong opposition to the Democratic incumbent.
Prior to the interview, Biden had announced his intention to continue campaigning at a rally at a Wisconsin middle school.
“They’re trying to throw me out of the race,” the president added. “Let me be very clear: I’m going to continue to run.”
What to know about the impact of President Biden’s debate performance:
At least one House Democrat suggested in an ABC News interview that he would not be swayed by Biden’s performance.
“I look forward to watching President Biden’s recorded interview with George Stephanopoulos. It is also important that the President conduct a lengthy live interview as soon as possible,” Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) wrote to X.
“Contrary to popular belief, Democratic Party rules do not require pledged delegates to vote for Biden at the convention,” Sherman emphasized. “Party rules state that, at the time a delegate casts their vote, their vote ‘reflects the sentiment of the people who elected them.'”
“Democratic primary voters have one thing in common: they need a candidate who can beat Donald Trump.”
