The US leader has insisted his disastrous debate with Donald Trump was just a “bad episode”
In an interview with ABC News on Friday, US President Joe Biden addressed concerns about his age and cognitive abilities following his lackluster performance in last week’s debate against Donald Trump.
During the highly anticipated interview with George Stephanopoulos, the 81-year-old president attributed the debate fiasco solely to his own actions, stating, “my fault, no one else’s fault,” and attributing it to a “bad episode” caused by being “exhausted” and “sick” with a “bad cold.” He emphasized that this was not indicative of any serious health issues.
Biden disclosed that he has “medical doctors trailing me everywhere I go” and that they informed him he was “exhausted” after the debate, but nothing more severe. “I have an ongoing assessment of what I’m doing. They don’t hesitate to tell me if something is wrong.”
When directly questioned about his willingness to undergo a neurological test to reassure Americans of his fitness for the job, Biden evaded the question, stating, “I have a cognitive test every single day.”
“Every day I have that test,” Biden reiterated when pressed further. “Not only am I campaigning, but I’m running the world, and that’s not hyperbole.”
The entire interview seemed to go in circles, with Stephanopoulos repeatedly inquiring about Biden’s confidence in his ability to defeat Trump, while Biden consistently cited his past record and firmly rejected the idea of withdrawing from the race despite declining poll numbers.
Biden dismissed the poll numbers showing him trailing Trump in the popular vote, claiming the race is a “toss-up” and asserting his status as the “most qualified person to beat him.”
Biden declined to speculate on whether he would withdraw from the race if Democratic Party leaders requested it, stating he would only step aside if God instructed him to do so.