A Combative Biden Pushes Back On Age Worries: ‘What's With You Guys?'
A combative and sometimes prickly President Joe Biden challenged the idea he has not demonstrated he’s up to the rigors of another presidential campaign Monday, showing no signs that he’s listening to either overt or subtle calls for him to step aside.
In an interview in the White House with NBC News anchor Lester Holt, Biden took issue with Holt asking if he wanted to “get back on the horse” after his lackluster debate performance against GOP nominee Donald Trump June 27.
“I’m on the horse. Where have you been? I’ve done 22 major events. Met thousands of people. Overwhelming crowds. A lot happening. I’m on the horse,” he said.
“What I’m doing is going out and demonstrating to the American people that I have command of all my faculties,” Biden said, citing his almost hourlong press conference at the end of the recent NATO summit in Washington as an example.
At various times in the interview, Biden expressed frustration with what he saw as a focus on his flaws, rather than on his opponent. At one point, he asked why Holt or other journalists had not given more coverage to the myriad untruths told by Trump at the debate or to past critical statements the new vice presidential candidate, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) had made about Trump prior to his selection.
“He’s said some things about me, but see what he said about Trump. What’s with you guys? C’mon, man,” Biden said.
As for the Vance pick itself, Biden said he was not surprised that was who Trump went with. “He’s going to surround himself with people who agree completely with him,” Biden said.
The president also shook off questions on whether he had yet to decide whether to stay in the race or not, a prospect raised by some longtime allies like former House speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) who said Biden should do whatever he chooses.
“There’s no wide gap between us. It’s essentially a toss-up race,” Biden said of the race with Trump.
Asked directly if he felt he had outlasted the concerns over his fitness, Biden replied, “14 million people voted for me to be the nominee of the Democratic Party, OK? I listen to them.”
Biden also defended the tone of his language in discussing Trump against allegations it may have led to the assassination attempt against the GOP candidate Saturday. He described a conversation between the two after the incident as “very cordial” but brief.
Biden said he still felt safe under the Secret Service’s protection but said it was fair to ask if the agency had been unprepared for Saturday’s attack.
“The question is, should that have anticipated what happened? Should they have done what they needed to do to prevent this from happening? That’s an open question,” Biden said.
