President Joe Biden, in his first post-debate television interview with ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos, candidly addressed his recent debate performance against Donald Trump, describing it as a “bad episode” and taking full responsibility for its outcome. The interview took place in Madison, Wisconsin, following a rally where President Joe Biden reaffirmed his commitment to continue in the presidential race.
Stephanopoulos wasted no time in probing President Joe Biden about the debate, acknowledging President Joe Biden’s team’s characterization of it as a “bad night.” President Joe Biden agreed, straightforwardly admitting to the anchor, “Sure did.” The discussion then shifted to comments made by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who raised concerns about a potential underlying issue. President Joe Biden clarified, “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 a bad night.”
When asked about his preparation leading up to the debate, which followed an international trip to France for the D-Day anniversary and subsequent rest at Camp David, President Joe Biden explained, “Because I was sick. I was feeling terrible.” He revealed that medical tests ruled out COVID-19 but confirmed he had been battling a severe cold.
Stephanopoulos questioned whether President Joe Biden had reviewed footage of the debate afterward. President Joe Biden admitted, “I don’t think I did, no.” Pressed on whether he realized his performance was faltering during the debate, Biden acknowledged, “Yeah, look. The whole way I prepared, nobody’s fault, mine. Nobody’s fault but mine.”
Reflecting on his preparation style and its misalignment with the debate’s demands, President Joe Biden remarked, “I prepared what I usually would do sitting down as I did come back with foreign leaders or the National Security Council for explicit detail. And I realized– partway through that, you know, all– I get quoted the New York Times had me down, ten points before the debate, nine now, or whatever the hell it is. The fact of the matter is that 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 pressed further, noting President Joe Biden’s challenges from the outset of the debate. President Joe Biden conceded, “Well, I just had a bad night.”
The interview provided a rare glimpse into President Joe Biden’s candid assessment of his debate performance and his perspectives on the factors contributing to it, underscoring his determination to move forward in the presidential campaign despite setbacks.
