After bad reception from his presidential debate against Trump, Joe Biden does an interview with ABC News to address concerns.
President Joe Biden defended his widely criticized debate performance against Donald Trump in a recent ABC interview with George Stephanopoulos, attributing it to exhaustion and illness. Biden acknowledged having "a bad night" but dismissed concerns about his cognitive abilities, claiming he takes "a cognitive test every single day" through his presidential duties. Despite reports that Democratic leaders are organizing to convince him to exit the race, Biden insisted that party leaders support his candidacy and cited recent fundraising success as evidence of continued backing.
When pressed about his health and questioned if he would step aside if reliable allies suggested his candidacy might harm Democrats' chances, Biden refused to entertain the possibility, maintaining that "it's not gonna happen." The President repeatedly highlighted his administration's accomplishments, including expanding NATO, supporting Ukraine, and growing the economy, while framing the election as a historic "inflection point" that would determine "what the next six, seven decades are gonna be like." Biden emphasized his unique qualifications for facing global challenges, asking rhetorically, "Who's gonna be able to hold NATO together like me?"
President Joe Biden's 22-minute ABC interview with George Stephanopoulos following his poor debate performance failed to quell Democratic concerns about his fitness for office, according to analysis of coverage from NBC News, CNN, Associated Press, and New York Post. Despite their different political leanings, all four outlets agreed that Biden's multiple explanations for his debate showing—claiming he was "exhausted," "sick" with a "bad cold," and distracted by Trump—did not successfully address growing doubts. The publications also highlighted Biden's defiant stance about remaining the Democratic nominee, quoting his statement that only "the Lord Almighty" could persuade him to step aside.
The outlets differed primarily in tone and emphasis, with the New York Post adopting the most critical perspective, describing Biden as "rambling" and "whining," while CNN approached with greater empathy while still noting his struggles. Coverage varied in focus on cognitive testing discussions, polling disagreements, and family involvement—particularly AP's unique reporting on Hunter Biden's increased presence in the West Wing. Despite these differences, the consensus across ideologically diverse news sources suggests a media landscape largely unconvinced by Biden's performance, which may itself become a factor in the evolving political dynamics surrounding his candidacy.
In a revealing post-debate interview with ABC's George Stephanopoulos, President Joe Biden addressed his widely criticized debate performance against Donald Trump. The interview, conducted shortly after what Biden himself admitted was a "bad night," covered the President's explanation for his performance, his health status, questions about his cognitive abilities, and his determination to remain in the 2024 presidential race despite growing concerns from within the Democratic Party.
Biden immediately acknowledged his poor showing, stating he "sure did" have a bad night. When pressed about what happened, Biden attributed his performance to exhaustion and illness, saying he was "feeling terrible" with "a really bad cold" in the days leading up to the debate. He explained that he didn't prepare properly and was distracted by Trump, who continued speaking even when his microphone was turned off.
"I was exhausted. I didn't listen to my instincts in terms of preparing," Biden told Stephanopoulos. He maintained there was "no indication of any serious condition" behind his debate struggles, describing it simply as "a bad episode." Biden revealed that his doctors had even tested him for COVID-19 while trying to determine what was wrong with him prior to the debate.
Throughout the interview, Stephanopoulos repeatedly questioned Biden about his health and cognitive abilities, citing reporting from major news outlets suggesting a pattern of decline. Stephanopoulos referenced a New York Times headline stating "Biden's lapses are said to be increasingly common and worrisome" and noted similar reporting in The Washington Post and Wall Street Journal.
When asked directly if he was "the same man today" as when he took office three-and-a-half years ago, Biden pivoted to listing his accomplishments rather than addressing the physical comparison. When pressed about whether he had undergone cognitive testing, Biden claimed he takes "a cognitive test every single day" through his daily activities and responsibilities as president.
"Every day I have that test. Everything I do. You know, not only am I campaigning, but I'm running the world," Biden said. He revealed he has not had specific neurological or cognitive tests conducted by specialists, saying, "No one said I had to. They said I'm good." When Stephanopoulos suggested an independent medical evaluation might reassure Americans, Biden deflected, telling voters to "watch me" over the remaining 125 days of the campaign.
Biden repeatedly shifted focus to his administration's accomplishments and future plans, citing his work expanding NATO, supporting Ukraine, growing the economy, and creating manufacturing jobs through initiatives like semiconductor production. He emphasized his unique qualifications for facing global challenges, asking rhetorically, "Who's gonna be able to hold NATO together like me?"
The President also outlined his vision for a second term, saying he would "straighten out the tax system," ensure "healthcare for all people," and provide childcare and eldercare. He cited endorsements from 16 Nobel laureate economists who believe his economic plans would lead to success while claiming Trump's would cause recession and inflation.
When confronted with polling data showing him trailing Trump and experiencing low approval ratings, Biden disputed these numbers, claiming "it's a tossup" according to pollsters he consults. He dismissed concerns about his electability, saying, "I don't think anybody's more qualified to be President or win this race than me."
Stephanopoulos pressed Biden on reports that Democratic leaders, including Senator Mark Warner, were organizing to convince him to exit the race. Biden dismissed these concerns, claiming he had spoken with Democratic leaders like Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, and Jim Clyburn, and "they all said I should stay in the race."
When asked if he would step aside if reliable allies told him his candidacy might cause Democrats to lose the House and Senate, Biden refused to answer, insisting "it's not gonna happen." He cited recent fundraising success—$38 million raised within four days after the debate—as evidence of continued support.
Biden concluded by framing the election in historic terms, describing it as an "inflection point" that would determine "what the next six, seven decades are gonna be like." He portrayed himself as uniquely qualified to navigate global challenges, maintain alliances, and counter adversaries like China.
When Stephanopoulos asked how Biden would feel if he stayed in the race, lost to Trump, and his dire warnings about Trump came to pass, Biden responded philosophically: "I'll feel as long as I gave it my all and I did the goodest job as I know I can do, that's what this is about."
The interview revealed a president determined to remain in the race despite acknowledging a poor debate performance, growing concerns about his age and abilities, and potential political consequences for his party. Biden's insistence that he alone can defeat Trump and lead the nation forward remains his central argument for his continued candidacy.
All four publications—NBC News, CNN, Associated Press, and New York Post—share several key perspectives in their coverage of President Joe Biden's interview with ABC's George Stephanopoulos following his poor debate performance against Donald Trump. These media outlets, despite their different political leanings, converge on several critical assessments.
All publications agree that Biden's 22-minute interview did not successfully address growing concerns about his fitness for office. CNN called it an "excruciating personal and national ordeal" that "did little to quell the storm assailing his campaign." NBC observed that "it's far from clear Biden succeeded at righting the ship," while AP noted that the interview "appeared unlikely to fully tamp down concerns about his age and fitness." The New York Post was most critical, stating Biden "failed to stem growing pessimism about his political future" in what it described as a "rambling" interview.
Each outlet highlighted Biden's multiple explanations for his debate performance. The president attributed his showing to being "exhausted," "sick" with a "bad cold," and being distracted by Trump speaking even when his microphone was muted. He consistently characterized it as "a bad episode" rather than evidence of a more serious condition. The New York Post noted that these were "multiple excuses," while other outlets presented them more neutrally but emphasized they were part of evolving explanations.
All publications emphasized Biden's determination to remain the Democratic nominee. They quoted his statement that "I don't think anybody's more qualified to be president or win this race than me," and his comment that only "the Lord Almighty" could persuade him to step aside. NBC characterized this as "defiance," CNN described it as "his defiant refusal," AP noted his "fighting to save his endangered reelection effort," and the New York Post described him as "stiffly" rejecting calls to step aside.
Each article discussed the mounting pressure from Democratic lawmakers and party figures for Biden to reconsider his candidacy. All mentioned Sen. Mark Warner's efforts to organize Senate Democrats, the growing number of House Democrats publicly calling for Biden to withdraw, and referenced specific Democratic representatives who have broken ranks to call for Biden's exit.
Despite these similarities, there were notable differences in emphasis, framing, and inclusion of specific details across the publications.
The New York Post adopted the most critical tone, describing Biden as "rambling" and "whining" with "disjointed thoughts." It highlighted moments where Biden paused or struggled to formulate responses. CNN's analysis was also critical but approached with greater empathy, noting it was "sad to see a person who's respected and beloved by many Americans suffer such a plight" and acknowledging "the painful human realities of aging." NBC and AP maintained more neutral framing while still noting Biden's struggles.
All outlets covered Biden's response to questions about cognitive testing, quoting his claim that "I have a cognitive test every single day" through his presidential duties. However, they differed in their emphasis. The New York Post characterized this as Biden "declining to submit to a cognitive exam," while AP and NBC presented it more straightforwardly. CNN largely focused on the broader implications rather than this specific exchange.
Biden's disagreement with Stephanopoulos over polling data received varying attention. NBC and the New York Post highlighted Biden's "denial" of poll numbers showing him trailing Trump, with the Post emphasizing Biden's claim that "All the pollsters I talk to tell me it's a toss-up." CNN and AP mentioned polling less prominently.
Only AP reported on the "uncomfortable dynamic" of Hunter Biden's increased presence in the West Wing since the debate, noting that for many staffers, "the sight of Hunter Biden, just weeks after his conviction on felony gun charges, taking a larger role in advising his father has been unsettling and a questionable choice." This significant detail was absent from the other three publications.
CNN uniquely mentioned that Biden "has pulled his family closer while attempting to prove that he's still the Democrats' best option," a perspective not included in other coverage.
AP and the New York Post provided more details about House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries scheduling a virtual meeting with ranking party committee members, while NBC and CNN mentioned this more briefly.
The New York Post included anonymous reactions from Democrats who watched the interview, with one describing it as like seeing someone "treading water in the deep end" and another calling it "depressing." CNN did not include similar immediate reactions, while NBC and AP focused more on the broader political implications.
CNN specifically highlighted a controversial moment when Biden said, "I'll feel as long as I gave it my all and I did the goodest job as I know I can do," noting that the Biden campaign later contacted CNN to argue that the president had not said "goodest" and that ABC News changed its transcript. The other publications quoted this statement but didn't focus on the grammatical issue or transcript change.
AP provided more details about Biden's upcoming plans to prove his fitness, including "a rigorous effort to course correct" with weekend campaign travels in battleground states and a planned news conference at the NATO summit. Other outlets mentioned these elements more briefly.
CNN uniquely framed the situation in terms of Biden's legacy, noting "his deep pride in a presidency that it took him nearly half a century to achieve" and how this personal investment makes the current situation even more difficult for him to concede.
The coverage of Biden's ABC interview across these four publications reveals both journalistic consensus and divergence. All outlets agreed the interview failed to resolve concerns about Biden's fitness and candidacy, highlighted his multiple explanations for the debate performance, noted his defiance about remaining in the race, and documented growing pressure from within his party.
However, they differed significantly in tone, emphasis, and inclusion of specific details—particularly regarding family dynamics, Democratic Party reactions, and framing of Biden's responses. These differences reflect not only the political leanings of each publication but also their different journalistic approaches to covering a politically sensitive and personally painful moment for an aging president confronting public scrutiny of his cognitive abilities.
The most striking consensus across ideologically different news sources suggests a media landscape largely unconvinced by Biden's performance in the interview, which may itself become a factor in the evolving political dynamics surrounding his candidacy.
Articles Analyzed: NBC News, CNN, AP News, New York Post
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ABC News interviews Joe Biden After Presidential Debate
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ABC’s George Stephanopoulos sits down with Joe Biden for his first TV interview since last week's presidential debate. https://trib.al/IMf3KnW–––Subscribe to...