An aggressive President Joe Biden downplayed his bad performance in last week’s debate in what had become a high-stakes appearance on ABC, as speculation about his candidacy’s future circulated.

During his discussion with anchor George Stephanopoulos, Biden dismissed the idea of resigning from the ticket while simultaneously presenting changing justifications for his bad performance.

The conversation was Biden’s first public interview since his debate performance, and it came at a critical time for his political future. A growing number of Democrats—lawmakers, contributors, and voters—expressed doubts about his candidacy’s viability.

Here are six key points from Biden’s interview with ABC News.

Biden claims the debate was a ‘poor night,’ not a larger issue.
The president admitted in the interview that he was “sick” and “feeling terrible” prior to the debate. When asked if it was a bad incident or a symptom of a more serious ailment, Biden downplayed the concerns.

“This was a poor episode. There is no evidence of a major condition. “I didn’t listen to my instincts in terms of preparation, and I had a bad night,” he admitted.

6 Takeaways From President Joe Biden’s High-Stakes ABC Interview

In the interview, Biden elaborated on how he was feeling during the debate, stating that he was exhausted from illness and had even tested for Covid-19. The White House did not immediately reply to CNN’s questions on whether the president took the test before or after the debate.

He stated, “I was feeling dreadful. In fact, when I asked the doctors if they had done a Covid test, they said they were attempting to figure out what was wrong. They ran a test to discover if I was infected with a virus. I did not. I simply got a very severe cold.”

The revelation regarding his illness was the latest shift in the White House’s portrayal of the president’s physical condition during the debate. During the discussion, White House officials stated that the president had a cold, and on Wednesday, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre denied that Biden had visited his doctor, repeatedly stating that the president had not had a medical exam since his physical in February.

“It is a cold, gentlemen. “It’s a cold,” she explained at the time. “I understand that it impacts everyone differently. We’ve all had colds; therefore, the doctor didn’t check him out.”

A day later, the White House verified that the president had indeed seen a doctor about his condition, and on Friday, Jean-Pierre told reporters aboard Air Force One that Biden had a “verbal check-in” with his doctor following the debate.

She described Biden’s check-in as “a conversation” with his physician, Kevin O’Connor after reporters reported that the president informed a gathering of Democratic governors that he had seen a doctor.

The president admits to bad performance but provides a fresh reason.
The president stated that he had not watched a repeat of his performance. When questioned if he knew how awful things were going, he replied, “Nobody’s fault but mine.”

Biden’s response to the question was confused about New York Times polls.

“I prepared what I always do sitting down when I return as foreign leaders or the National Security Council – for explicit detail. And I noticed, about halfway through, that all I get mentioned is that The New York Times had me down 10 points prior to the debate, nine now, or whatever. The truth is that, from what I saw, he lied 28 times,” he stated.

When pressed on his performance, he replied, “Well, I was just having a bad night.”

But later in the conversation, Biden provided a different answer. He said he was distracted by Trump speaking out of turn even though Trump’s microphone was muted.

“I understood I was having a difficult night when I noticed that even while I was answering a question and they switched off his microphone, he was still shouting. I let it distract me. I’m not blaming anything on it, but I recognized I simply wasn’t in control,” Biden told Stephanopoulos.

Biden, Trump, and their teams agreed on the rules before the debate.

Biden stated that “no one said I had to” undergo cognitive and neurological testing, telling Stephanopoulos that “I get a full neurological test every day” – referring to his job responsibilities.

“I have medical doctors who travel everywhere. You are aware that every president does this. I am accompanied by world-class medical doctors wherever I go. I am always evaluating my work. “They don’t hesitate to tell me if they suspect anything else is wrong,” he said.

When asked if he had any cognitive testing or a neurology checkup, Biden responded no.

“No one told me I had to… “They said I was fine.”

In a Friday analysis, CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, a practicing neurosurgeon, asked Biden to undergo extensive cognitive and neurological testing and report his findings.

Gupta expressed concern about Biden’s performance during the debate. According to him, comprehensive examinations “can help determine whether there is a simpler explanation for the symptoms displayed or if there is something more concerning.”

Biden rejects polls that show him losing to Trump.
When Stephanopoulos asked Biden if he was honest with himself about his capacity to overcome Trump, he responded, “Yes.” “Yes, yes, yes.”

He cited prior surveys that suggested he couldn’t win in 2020 and subsequent down-ballot elections while dismissing comprehensive polling that shows he is lagging in the race.

When asked if his low approval rating would make it more difficult to win four years later, Biden replied, “Not when you’re running against a pathological liar. Not when he hasn’t been challenged in the same way that he is about to be.”

The president stated that all his pollsters regard the race as a “toss up” as he cited particular polls before trailing off.

Biden dismisses worried Democrats: Only the ‘Lord Almighty’ could persuade him to withdraw from the race.
When asked if he would step aside if he became persuaded he couldn’t win Trump, Biden responded he would only do so “if the Lord Almighty comes down” and tells him so.

“If the Lord Almighty came down and said, ‘Joe, get out of the race,’ I’d get out of the race,” stated Vice President Biden.

“The Lord Almighty’s not coming down,” said Biden, a devoted Catholic.

Stephanopoulos replied, “I agree that the Lord Almighty will not come down.” But what will you do if you are reliably informed by your allies, friends, and supporters in the Democratic Party, the House, and the Senate that they are frightened you will lose the House and the Senate if you remain?

Biden declined to address the question. “It’s not going to happen,” he explained.

The president later questioned whether any other Democratic leader would possess his foreign policy expertise.

“Who will be able to hold NATO together as I can? Who will be able to put me in a position to keep the Pacific basin in check now that we are in China? Who’s going to do it? “Who has that reach?” Biden asked.

Four Democratic members of Congress have urged Biden to step aside. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey published a statement Friday, urging Biden to “carefully evaluate” whether he is the party’s best candidate to oppose Donald Trump. According to CNN, Virginia Sen. Mark Warner is trying to get Senate Democrats on the same page regarding Biden’s reelection attempt, placing additional pressure on the White House.

Warner, who is leading the effort, has reached the point where he believes Biden’s reelection campaign should be suspended, according to a source familiar with the situation.

When asked about Warner’s efforts, Biden said, “Mark is a good man.” He also attempted to secure the nomination. Warner was considered a vice presidential candidate in 2008, a position Biden subsequently won but withdrew from consideration.

“Mark’s not—Mark and I have a different perspective,” Biden told Stephanopoulos.

Biden | Rolling stoneg

6 Takeaways From President Joe Biden’s High-Stakes ABC Interview

When asked if he would alter his stance if additional high-ranking Democrats, such as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, or House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, persuaded him to drop out, Biden replied, “They’re not going to do that.”

Just before the ABC interview, Biden addressed voter concerns at a campaign rally in Wisconsin. A rallygoer displayed a banner that read, “Pass the torch, Joe.” The placard was visible briefly before someone attempted to conceal it with a Biden-Harris sign.

Biden’s remarks at that rally was enthusiastic and vibrant, but he appeared to be aware that every word he said would be dissected and carefully scrutinized during this strategically critical era. He vowed to “beat Trump again in 2020” before swiftly recognizing his error and amending himself: “By the way, we’re gonna do it again in 2024.” Biden criticized Trump’s economic policies, saying his opponent “wants another 5 billion – trillion, trillion, not billion – $5 trillion tax cut.”

He answered criticism regarding his age, stating, “I wasn’t too old to create over 50 million new jobs, ensure 21 million Americans are insured under the Affordable Care Act, and beat Big Pharma.” Was I too old to help over 5 million Americans with college debt? Too elderly to appoint the first Black woman to the Supreme Court of the United States? To sign the Respect for Marriage Act?

Biden claimed unspecified forces are “trying to push him out of the race.”

“Well, let me say this as quick as I can,” he joked. “I’m staying in the race.”

That theme was highlighted by the song that played at the end of Biden’s speech: Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down.”

SOURCE – CNN