During a key conversation with NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt at the White House on Monday, Joe Biden referred to his previous comments about putting Donald Trump at the “center of the bullseye,” saying he believes there needs to be more focus on the former president’s policies.
In a preview of the interview, which will air on Monday night at 9 p.m. ET, Holt asked Biden about his description of Trump as an “existential threat,” his comments on a conference call with Democratic donors saying “it’s time to put Trump at the center of the target,” and how the attempted assassination of his opponent in Pennsylvania two days ago has affected the election.
“I didn’t say targeting, I said focusing,” Biden said. “In fact, I think what I was saying at the time was that there was very little focus on Trump’s policies.”
“The word was ‘Bullseye,'” Holt said.
“I was wrong to use that word,” Biden responded. “I — I didn’t say crosshairs. I meant bullseyes — I said focus on that. Focus on what he’s doing. Focus on his policies. Focus on the number of lies he told in the debate.”
Biden stumbled slightly during his response, making it unclear whether he was apologizing for instructing donors to put Trump in the center of the bullseye, or correcting himself after using the word “crosshairs” instead of “center of the bullseye.”
“I’m not a guy who said, ‘I want to be a dictator from day one,’ nor am I a guy who refused to accept the results of an election,” Biden said.
Holt pressed the president on whether he had “reflected” on whether his words “could incite people to act in a less balanced way.”
“How can we talk about real threats to democracy when the president is saying things like this,” Biden said.
“Am I not going to say anything because I might incite someone? Look, I didn’t say that. My opponent is saying that right now. He’s talking about how if he loses, there will be a bloodbath, and he’s talking about how he’s going to pardon anybody who’s been arrested and sentenced to prison because of what happened at the Capitol. In fact, I think I’m going to suspend the sentences of anybody who’s been arrested and sentenced to prison because of what happened at the Capitol.
“I mean, remember that photo of Donald Trump when Nancy Pelosi’s husband got hit with a hammer? I’m not talking about it, I’m not making fun of it, I’m not joking about it.”
The one-on-one interview with Biden is a relative rarity during his presidency, but comes amid ongoing calls for the president to end his reelection bid after his weak performance against Trump in the June 27 debate raised questions about Biden’s age and fitness to do the job.
Biden’s public comments have been heavily scrutinized since the debate for signs of personal weakness. ABC’s George Stephanopoulos interviewed Biden on July 5 and asked him if he would release the results of his neurological exam. The president refused. During an hour-long press conference at the NATO summit on Friday, he blatantly displayed his vast knowledge of foreign policy.
The president has increasingly rejected calls to withdraw. But the question was expected to be central to Holt’s interview tonight. Its significance was overshadowed by the video of a gunman at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, who was shot dead by a Secret Service sniper, narrowly missing Trump’s skull and grazing him by the ear. One spectator was killed and two seriously wounded.
The Republican National Committee is holding its national nominating convention this week, and Biden’s interview with Holt offers a bit of political counterpoint at a time when all eyes are expected to be on Trump.
Biden addressed the nation on Sunday night, calling for a calming of political rhetoric and reiterating that sentiment with Holt.
