President Biden sought to downplay his disastrous debate performance in a high-stakes interview with ABC News, but raised fresh questions about his mental acuity when he couldn’t remember whether or not he watched a replay of it.
Mr. Biden, 81, took responsibility for his debate performance saying it was “nobody’s fault, but mine.” But he also doubled down his explanation that his rambling, incoherent debate answers were due to fatigue and a bad cold.
“I was sick — I was feeling terrible. As a matter of fact, the docs with me — I asked if they did a COVID test, they were trying to figure out what’s 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,” Mr. Biden told ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos.
However, he also offered a brand new excuse for the debate debacle, adding to sickness and fatigue, saying former President Donald Trump kept speaking while his microphone was muted.
“Even when they turned his mic off, he was still shouting. And I let it distract me. I’m not blaming it on that, but I realized that I just wasn’t in control,” he said.
When asked if he watched a replay of his performance, Mr. Biden appeared unsure.
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“I don’t think I did. No,” he said.
In the interview, Mr. Biden also falsely claimed that he gained support among voters in a New York Times poll released after the debate.
“The New York Times had me down 10 points before the debate, nine or now, or whatever the hell it is,” Mr. Biden said.
However, The New York Times/Siena College poll shows he dropped three points against former President Donald Trump.
When asked if he knew how badly he was performing during the debate, Mr. Biden responded with a rambling response in which he again took responsibility for his debate performance.
“I prepared what I usually would do sitting down as I did come back with foreign leaders or 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 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.”
Mr. Biden also declined to say if he’d undergo a neurological and cognitive test and release it to the public.
“I have a cognitive test every day. Everything I do. Not just the campaign, but running the world,” he said.
When pressed, Mr. Biden said “I’ve already done that.”
The president insisted he’s “still in good shape,” but dodged a question on whether he had more lapses in recent months.
“Can I run the 100 in 10 flat? No, but I’m in good shape,” Mr. Biden said, when asked if he’s had increased mental lapses.
When Mr. Stephanopoulos asked Mr. Biden if he’s “more frail,” the president responded, “no.”
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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