The Democratic National Committee chairman insisted that President Biden “gave a great speech” during a high-profile Thursday night press conference, even as he confused Vice President Kamala Harris with former President Donald Trump.
Jaime Harrison delivered this impassioned critique at the end of NATO’s annual summit in Washington DC, just after the embattled 81-year-old president had concluded his error-filled “adult press conference”.
“Listen, I think he’s been clear,” the Democratic National Committee chairman insisted during an MSNBC appearance. “I think he’s been strong.”
“He delivered a masterful lecture tonight on the complexities of international foreign policy,” Harrison continued.
“The contrast is clear: If you give Donald Trump a blank map and say, ‘Go fill it in,’ he’ll fail. It’ll be terrible. You’ll have no idea where most of these countries are.”
Meanwhile, a White House spokesman offered similar praise to Biden while the press conference was still ongoing.
“To answer your question, Joe Biden does not have a PhD in foreign affairs,” said Andrew Bates, senior deputy White House press secretary. Post to X.
“He’s a really amazing guy.”
Despite President Biden’s actions receiving mixed reviews, voices have come to his defence.
The press conference was designed to quell growing calls within Democrats that Biden should abandon his reelection campaign after his disastrous defeat in the June 27 debate, but the commander in chief ended up amplifying those concerns by making contradictory statements, forgetting questions and giving incoherent answers on stage.
At one point, Biden confused Harris with Trump, drawing gasps and groans from many reporters seated in the auditorium.
“I would not have chosen her as my vice president if I didn’t think President Trump was fit to be president,” Biden said.
The gaffe came after Biden introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as “President Putin” at a separate event, confusing him with the Russian tyrant who has waged a war on Ukraine for two and a half years.
Meanwhile, Harrison drew swift backlash on social media for his blind defense of Biden’s press conference performance, with one person fuming that the president “sounded like a bumbling fool.”
“Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison says Biden is ‘nitpicking’ when he forgets his VP’s name,” the Republican National Committee’s research account tweeted.
What you need to know about the impact of President Biden’s debate performance:
Another user commented: “Jamie Harrison on MSNBC calling Biden’s press conference a ‘master class’ is hilarious. I know it’s your job but shame on you…”
Yet in another part of the MSNBC interview, Harrison stepped up his defense of Biden and blasted Democrats who have called for him to resign.
“So, Democrats, we have to stop lamenting. We have to stop saying, ‘Unfortunately for me,’ and understand that our candidate is so much better than his opponent, so many times better,” the Democratic National Committee chairman said.
“He’s delivered in the past and he will deliver this time. Let’s focus on pursuing the threat that Trump and Project 2025 pose to the American people.”
