WASHINGTON: He was n’t a disaster. But he did n’t dazzle either. After an awkward show in an ABC News interview where he dismissed concerns about his mental acuity and declared he would drop out of the Presidential election only if the’ Lord Almighty ‘ told him to, the jury is still out on whether US President Joe Biden is fit to run for a second term.
After being questioned repeatedly by anchor George Stephanopoulus about his fitness and health, Biden insisted that he was still in great condition and that his first debate with Republican challenger Donald Trump was due to exhaustion and distraction.
Asked if he was being honest with himself about his mental and physical ability to lead for four more years, Biden replied,” Yes, I am, because, George, the last thing I want to do is not be able to join that”.
Stephanopoulus: Are you the exact person now that you were when you took company three- and- a- half years ago?
Biden: In terms of achievement, yes. I also served as the author of the Middle East peace program that does come to fruition. I was also the person who expanded Nato. I was also the one who created the most economic growth. All of the specific tasks that were completed were concepts I had or that I realized.
Stephanopoulus: Would you debate that there have been more lapses, particularly in the last several months?
Biden: Can I run the 100 in 10 level? No. But I’m still in good shape.
Stephanopoulus: If you can become convinced that you cannot beat Donald Trump, did you have down?
Biden: It depends on– on if the Lord Almighty comes over and tells me that, I might do that.
The US President said he was being tested every day by having to make crucial decisions that were deemed successful, and that he was not willing to accept an independent medical examination that included mental tests and to disclose the results to the public.
Every morning, I have a mental test. Every morning, I have that check. All I do. Not only am I campaigning, but I’m running the globe”, Biden said, suggesting that his normal functioning is exam much.
He also refrained from reading latest polls that show him trailing Trump in both the general election and certain swing states, as well as concerns that some Democrats have that staying in the race is against the party’s or the nation’s interests.
Although the 22-minute meeting contained no major errors, it failed to dispel those who felt he is very old and frail. Numerous Democrat politicians and group leaders are making moves to elect the president to step down, some of whom are calling for Kamala Harris to take the place of him at the top of the ballot.
However, Biden doubled down on running in a tweet prior to the interview, saying,” I’m not letting one 90-minute conversation clean out three and a half years of work.” I’m staying in the contest, and I will conquer Donald Trump”.
Although a former Democratic operative conducted the interview, Biden’s supporters claimed that it was just another attempt to intimidate the president into resigning, his opponents argued that the interview was pre-recorded, probably edited, and the full version could have been worse.
Biden’s rambling, which is always eloquent and prone to monologues and stumbling over thoughts, became even more glaring in an interview that was watched by thousands when Stephanopoulos kicked off by asking what had gone bad a year earlier.
” The entire way I prepared… one’s problem me… nobody’s fault but me… I, uh, had everything planned in advance, sitting down as I did, and then returning with foreign officials or the National Security Council for more in-depth information. And about halfway through, I realized that, you know, I had a point difference of 9 or whatever the devil it is when I quoted The New York Times. What I did not realize was true is that he also lied 28 days. I could n’t, I mean, the way the debate ran, not — my fault, no one else’s fault — no one else’s fault ..”. Biden blathered.
Both the followers and the critics both endured terrible viewing.
