President Joe Biden acknowledged a weak performance at last week’s presidential debate, but tried to assure Americans during an ABC News interview that he was fit to run again in the 2024 race for the White House against Donald Trump
Speaking with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos Friday, Biden said he was “exhausted” during the event, which accounted for a performance in which the current Commander-in-Chief seemed enfeebled and slow, spurring distrust among his base and eroding support for a second White House run. Biden has worked since last week, when the debate was telecast by CNN, to find ways to prove himself anew to constituents, even as a furor swirls through media and Beltway circles over whether he remains fit to lead the nation.
“It’s a bad episode… no indication of any serious condition. I was exhausted. I didn’t listen to my instincts in terms of preparing,” Biden said. “It was a bad night.”
He said his performance at the debate was “nobody’s fault but mine.”
Still, he tried to parry back at Stephanopoulos, noting that Trump “lied 28 times”
The ABC News interview is critical for Biden, and is one of a series of events the White House hopes will demonstrate that he remains in strong control of the nation’s business. Even so, there was one response that seemed puzzling. Stephanopoulos asked Biden if he had watched the entire debate in its aftermath and the President replied, “I don’t think I did, no.” It was unclear if Biden had viewed parts of the event, or hadn’t seen any of it with aides.
ABC News telecast a short clip in a larger exchange Friday evening on “World News Tonight” and is expected to broadcast the entire conversation between President Biden and Stephanopoulos at 8 p.m. eastern time
