Amid growing unrest among Democratic voters, lawmakers, and donors, President Joe Biden’s recent interview with ABC network was touted as the most significant of his 81-year-old career. However, the 22-minute discussion provided little reassurance, as Biden attributed his poor performance to illness and dismissed internal party concerns and unfavorable polling.
“I was sick, I was feeling terrible… I just had a really bad cold,” Biden said, marking his first unscripted remarks since last week’s debate with Republican rival Donald Trump. The interview, intended to stabilize his campaign, instead drew criticism for Biden’s hoarse voice and rambling responses, with some Democrats calling him “out of touch.”
When asked if his candidacy might jeopardize the Democratic hold on the White House, Biden confidently replied, “I don’t think anybody’s more qualified to be president or win this race than me.” He also sidestepped calls for a mental health assessment, claiming, “I have a cognitive test every single day. Every day I have that test, everything I do.”
The Trump campaign seized the moment, mockingly posting on social media that “Biden sounds great” during the broadcast and concluding that the president “is in denial and in decline.”
Biden’s hesitancy and incoherence during the debate in Atlanta had already sparked panic within his party, leading to calls for him to withdraw from the race. Despite this, the Biden campaign has pushed back hard against any suggestion of withdrawal, unveiling an aggressive travel schedule for July just hours before the ABC interview.
At a campaign rally in Madison, Wisconsin, Biden delivered a spirited speech, firmly stating, “I’m staying in the race. I’ll beat Donald Trump.” However, post-debate polls have shown a growing deficit in Trump’s favor, with some Democrats in Congress, major newspapers, donors, and political commentators urging Biden to step aside.
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries are reportedly planning crisis talks with lawmakers in the coming days.
During the interview, ABC host George Stephanopoulos referenced the increasing calls within the Democratic Party for a new candidate, asking Biden if he would consider stepping down if convinced he couldn’t beat Trump. Biden responded humorously, “Well, it depends. If the Lord Almighty comes down and tells me that, I might do that.”
Biden also stated that he had not watched the debate afterward, adding, “I don’t think I did, no.” He downplayed concerns about his health, saying, “It was a bad episode, no indication of any serious condition. I was exhausted. I didn’t listen to my instincts in terms of preparing and — and I had a bad night.”
David Axelrod, a former top aide in Barack Obama’s White House, criticized the interview, stating it showed a president “dangerously out of touch” with concerns over his fitness for office. “Four years ago at this time, he was 10 points ahead of Trump (in polls). Today, he is six points behind,” Axelrod posted on X.
The White House has announced that Biden will visit Pennsylvania this weekend and hold a press conference during the NATO summit in Washington next week.
