President Biden’s TV interview didn’t reverse his problems but instead raised new questions about his mental acuity as he said he wouldn’t take a cognitive test, sidestepped questions about mental lapses and said he he didn’t believe he had a historically low job-approval rating.
President Biden’s TV interview didn’t reverse his problems but instead raised new questions about his mental acuity as he said he wouldn’t take a cognitive test, sidestepped questions about mental lapses and said he he didn’t believe he had a historically low job-approval rating.
In the first interview since his debate disaster, Mr. Biden offered few new insights to save his embattled candidacy that has Democratic lawmakers openly questioning his fitness to campaign or serve another four years.
Mr. Biden, 81, repeatedly chalked up his confused and at times incoherent debate performance as “a bad night” and not a symptom of a serious condition. Mr. Biden simply insisted he was “feeling terrible.”
He doubled down on his claim that his incoherent answers and meandering statements were due to exhaustion and a cold.
ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos, a former Clinton White House official, told Mr. Biden that he had never seen a president with a 36% approval rating get reelected.
Mr. Biden’s response was to deny reality.
“I don’t believe that’s my approval rating,” he said.
The New York Times/Siena poll found Mr. Biden’s job-approval rating was 36% this week.
When asked if he watched a replay of the debate, Mr. Biden was unsure.
“I don’t think I did. No,” he said.
Mr. Biden also sidestepped questions about whether he’s had more mental lapses in recent months.
“Can I run the 100 in 10 flat? No, but I’m still in good shape,” when asked about increased mental lapses.
Mr. Stephanopoulos asked Mr. Biden if he was “more frail” than he was last year and the president responded, “No”
The president also refused to commit to taking cognitive and neurological exams and releasing them to the public.
