Joe Biden Blames a ‘Really Bad Cold’ for Poor Performance in First Post-Debate TV Interview — Watch Video
President Joe Biden is blaming “a really bad cold” for his poor performance at the first presidential debate opposite Republican challenger Donald Trump, he tells ABC News‘ George Stephanopoulos in his first televised interview following the debate.
“It was a bad episode” and not a sign of something more serious, Biden insists in a clip from the interview, which you can watch above. “I was exhausted. I didn’t listen to my instincts in terms of preparing. I had a bad night.” When Stephanopoulos presses him on why he didn’t have enough time to prepare, Biden responds: “Because I was sick. I was feeling terrible.” He asked for a COVID test, he says, but the tests all showed no virus or infection: “They just said I had a really bad cold.”
Biden also takes full responsibility for his debate performance — “nobody’s fault but mine” — but notes that Trump “lied 28 times” during the debate. In the end, “I just had a bad night,” he admits.
POTUS was interviewed on the campaign trail Friday by Good Morning America and This Week anchor George Stephanopoulos, with a first look airing on World News Tonight with David Muir. The full interview will air Friday as a primetime special at 8/7c on ABC, and then again in its entirety on Sunday’s installment of This Week. A full, unedited transcript of the interview will also be made available on Friday.
The comments echoed the President’s forceful statements earlier on Friday at a Wisconsin campaign stop: “I am running, and am gonna win again… Let me say this as clearly as I can: I’m staying in the race. I will beat Donald Trump.” He added: “I’m not letting one 90-minute debate wipe out three and a half years of work.”
The interview comes amid calls for Biden to forfeit the Democratic nomination following his showing at the June 27 debate. Nearly 70% of all TVLine readers said that Trump trounced Biden.
One day later, Biden addressed his most vocal critics during a rousing speech in North Carolina. “I know I’m not a young man,” he said. “I don’t walk as easily as I used to. I don’t talk as smoothly as I used to. I don’t debate as well as I used to, but I know what I do know: I know how to tell the truth. I know right from wrong. And I know how to do this job, I know how to get things done. And I know what millions of Americans know: When you get knocked down, you get back up.”
On Monday, Biden gave a televised address following a landmark Supreme Court decision that says Trump may claim immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts done during his time in office. He decried the decision and warned about its repercussions on our system of government, calling it “a dangerous precedent, because the power of the office will no longer be constrained by the law.” Biden added that the decision made it “highly, highly unlikely” that Trump will stand trial for election interference before Nov. 5, and that it would be up to the American people to “render a judgment on Donald Trump’s behavior” in the upcoming election.
Press PLAY above to watch Biden’s response, and then leave a comment and let us know what you thought.
Idea for the democrats: switcheroo the ticket. Kamala for president, Biden for VP. Same names on the ticket but with a twist
He’s speaking well. He’s being honest. He’s taking responsibility for what happened. Still with him all the way
I have voted Democrat every election since I was 18 and boy am I tired of making excuses for the failures of the Democratic party. What happened to him not running a second term?
He never once said he was only running for a single term, Ivan.
You’re kidding, right?
This interview is still just a scripted waste of time.. come on.
Jimmy Carter is on his death bed and would probably still be a better candidate at this point.
He’s not running against Jimmy Carter though. He’s running against the incompetent, fascist-leaning, twice-impeached convicted felon that is Donald Trump.
Biden could be comatose and he’d still be a better option than Trump.
The rest of the world is laughing at us! You seriously still support Biden?
Over Trump? 100 percent!
I love how this site decides to cover political news only when it senses sensationalism in the works. It was one bad night, he’s fine. Anyway I’d vote for him even if he was in coma. Good lord, democracy’s over if we don’t! The corrupt criminal Supreme Court decided to protect their corrupt criminal of a former president, JUST so they can help him get back into power after he tried to overthrow the government. HE CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO WIN. PERIOD.
I’m a hundred percent a Democrat but this election has me more stressed than ever. I’m a huge Biden fan but I can’t support him after that. It’s sad but that isn’t Biden anymore he has lost his touch. Are they going to claim he has a cold every debate? Or are they just going to reject him going
I voted for Biden in 2020 and I will vote for him in November. Why isn’t the Republican party going after Trump and asking him to step aside? He is a liar, cheater and an adulterer as well as a convicted felon. Trump is trying to challenge the Hush money case by saying he is immune but correct me if I am wrong he wasn’t president at that time. God please dont let this orange fool win!!!
Liar? Biden said that the Border Patrol was endorsing him and in real time they tweeted out that they have never nor would ever support Biden! And please name one politician that’s never told a lie…it would be a miracle!
Please name 1 President other than Trump that is a convicted felon.
I say, stay the course, Joe. There is no knight in shining armor to come save the Democrats if he steps away. Stay with the guy who already beat Trump once. I still think, the White House doctor should have forbidden him from attending the debate.
He needs to admit he can’t do it! Quit lying to himself!! But good ole Jill is in his ear telling him he can!!! But then again Trump will definitely win if he stays in!