Joe Biden has asserted that only "the Lord almighty" could persuade him to exit the US presidential race in a critical TV interview aimed at addressing the growing unrest within the Democratic party.
In the interview with George Stephanopoulos of ABC News, Biden was asked how he would feel if he remained the nominee and lost to Donald Trump. “I’ll feel as long as I gave it my all and I did the best job I know I can do, that’s what this is about,” the president replied.
In remarks that his opponents may interpret as out of touch, the 81-year-old claimed he is "running the world" and no one is "more qualified" to be president.
The interview, conducted on Friday, came at a crucial time as Biden strives to rescue his endangered re-election campaign following a poor debate performance last month. Four members of Congress have urged Biden to step aside, and it is reported that Mark Warner, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, is seeking to gather Democratic senators to request the president to withdraw from the race.
Despite this, Biden maintained a defiant tone in the interview. “Look. I mean, if the Lord Almighty came down and said, ‘Joe, get outta the race,’ I’d get outta the race,” he said. “The Lord Almighty’s not comin’ down.”
Biden emphasized that Democratic leaders, including Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, Nancy Pelosi, and various governors, continue to support him.
When Stephanopoulos asked what Biden would do if his friends and supporters expressed concern that his candidacy would jeopardize the Democratic control of the House and Senate, Biden replied: “I’m not going to answer that question. It’s not going to happen.”
Stephanopoulos began the interview by referencing Pelosi's recent comments questioning whether Biden’s weak debate performance was an isolated incident or indicative of a broader issue.
“It was a bad episode,” Biden insisted. “No indication of any serious condition. I was exhausted. I didn’t listen to my instincts in terms of preparing and – I had a bad night.”
When questioned about the time he had for rest and recovery prior to the debate, Biden explained: “Because I was sick. I was feeling terrible. Matter of fact, the doc’s with me. I asked if they did a Covid test because they’re trying to figure out what was wrong. They did a test to see whether or not I had some infection, you know, a virus. I didn’t. I just had a really bad cold.”
Stephanopoulos then inquired whether Biden had watched the debate afterward. Biden responded ambiguously: “I don’t think I did, no.”
The interviewer asked what Biden had been experiencing during the debate and if he had been aware of his performance. Biden admitted: “Yeah, look. The whole way I prepared, nobody’s fault, mine. Nobody’s fault but mine. I – I prepared what I usually would do sittin’ down as I did come back with foreign leaders or National Security Council for explicit detail. And I realised – partway through that, you know, all - I get quoted the New York Times had me down, 10 points before the debate, nine now, or whatever the hell it is. The fact of the matter is, what I looked at is that he also lied 28 times. I couldn’t – I mean, the way the debate ran, not – my fault, nobody else’s fault, no one else’s fault.”
Stephanopoulos cited concerns about Biden's fitness for office, referencing a New York Times article reporting that Biden’s lapses were becoming more frequent and concerning. Biden responded: “Can I run a 110 flat? No. But I’m still in good shape.”
When asked if he would be willing to undergo an independent cognitive evaluation and release the results, Biden said: “Look, I have a cognitive test every single day. Every day I’ve had tests. Everything I do. You know, not only am I campaigning, I’m running the world. And that sounds like hyperbole but we are the essential nation in the world.”
Stephanopoulos asked if Biden was being honest with himself about his capacity to serve another four years. Biden confidently replied: “Yes, I am because, George, the last thing I want to do is not be able to meet that. I think as some of the senior economists and senior foreign policy specialists say, if I stopped now I’d go down in history as a pretty successful president. No one thought I could get done what we got done.”
The 22-minute interview aired nationwide on ABC as part of a major campaign effort to address doubts about Biden’s fitness for office and ability to defeat Trump.
Reactions to Biden’s rallies and interviews have been mixed. Democratic Senator John Fetterman wrote on social media: “Democrats need to get a spine or grow a set — one or the other. Joe Biden is our guy.”
However, former Obama strategist David Axelrod commented: “The president is rightfully proud of his record. But he is dangerously out-of-touch with the concerns people have about his capacities moving forward and his standing in this race. Four years ago at this time, he was 10 points ahead of Trump. Today, he is six points behind.”
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