US President Joe Biden calls debate ‘bad episode’ in ABC News interview

Reuters

6 Jul, 2024 12:33 AM2 mins to read

US President Joe Biden suggests in an interview with ABC News that his shaky debate performance against Donald Trump was due to poor preparation, exhaustion and illness.

US President Joe Biden again called his debate against Republican opponent Donald Trump “a bad episode”, suggesting in an interview with ABC News today that his shaky performance was due to poor preparation, exhaustion and illness.

”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,” Biden, 81, told ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos.

”I was feeling terrible,” said Biden, his voice hoarse and sometimes halting. “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.”

He added it was no one else’s fault but his own and that he hadn’t rewatched his debate performance.

Biden’s comments came in a clip of an interview that is being closely watched by Democrats concerned about the President’s ability to serve another four years, or beat Trump, 78, in November’s election, after his faltering debate performance on June 27.

”I’ve seen enough,” Ron Fournier, senior adviser with communications agency Truscott Rossman and former White House correspondent, said on social media platform X alongside the clip. “It’s hard to imagine this good man beating Trump and serving four more years in the most demanding job on earth.”

The full interview airs today.

>>> Read full article>>>
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source : NZHerald – https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/us-president-joe-biden-calls-debate-bad-episode-in-abc-news-interview/GPFHHFC7MRHBDEJMAGNIKBWTK4/