President Biden held a “tense” Zoom call with dozens of moderate Democrats that was “even worse than the debate” less than an hour before the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, according to a new report.
The 81-year-old president lost his train of thought multiple times on the call and downplayed Democrats’ concerns about his 2024 reelection campaign following his disastrous defeat in last month’s debate. Pack reports He said Wednesday, citing multiple sources.
“The call was even worse than the debate. He was incoherent, he started to answer but couldn’t think straight and just said ‘I don’t care.’ He really couldn’t finish his answer. “I’ve lost all respect for him,” said one person on the call.
“The president was incoherent, ignored concerns and was neither capable nor prepared to lay out a campaign strategy,” added another source, who is also a member of Congress.
The shooting at Trump’s campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, effectively prevented Democrats from leaking details of the call or publicly opposing Trump, the source added.
“If the assassination attempt had not happened an hour later, I think the 50 people on Zoom would have been ready to publicly oppose him,” the congressman said.
In one particularly tense exchange, sources recalled, Biden lashed out at Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) after Crow questioned whether national security was important to his constituents.
“First of all, I think you’re totally wrong on national security,” Biden said, according to a recording of the call.
“You know what happened in the recent meeting with NATO. I am the one who put NATO together. Name me one foreign leader who thinks I am not the most competent leader in the world in foreign policy. Tell me!” he continued.
“Who has done something like my son did that he hasn’t done with a Bronze Star?”
Read the latest Washington Post article about the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.
Biden ended the Zoom call just after 5 p.m., telling his Democratic colleagues he had to go to church, according to people who were on the call.
But the Biden campaign has denied that the commander in chief was incoherent throughout the call.
“Just last week, the president met with Democratic leaders in both houses of Congress and numerous congressional groups to solicit input and answer questions,” a campaign official said.
“Negotiations with Representatives and Senators are ongoing, and the Campaign plans to continue to have open and active dialogue with their congressional offices.”
