Washington, US President Joe Biden admitted that he "almost fell asleep on stage" and that he was "not very smart" in managing his schedule before the first presidential debate with Donald Trump, blaming his numerous trips abroad for his disastrous performance.
Biden, 81, who is seeking a second term in the White House, stumbled in his first televised presidential debate with his predecessor Trump, 78, on Thursday night last week, raising alarm bells among senior Democrats on whether the sitting president can stay on top of the presidency. exhausting months before the elections.
During their roughly 90-minute debate defined by personal attacks, Trump, the presumptive Republican Party nominee in the Nov. 5 presidential election, clashed with Biden from the start, arguing scathingly about the U.S. economy, foreign relations and migration. “He wasn't very smart. “I decided to travel around the world a couple of times… shortly before the debate,” Biden said while speaking to donors at a fundraiser in a Virginia suburb of Washington, DC, on Tuesday.
"I didn't listen to my staff ... and then I almost fell asleep on stage," he said, amid pressure on Biden to drop out of the White House race because of his advanced age.
Biden admitted that he didn't have a good debate and apologized, saying he regretted the performance. "It's not an excuse but an explanation," he said.
The president's remarks at the fundraiser lasted just six minutes, far less than he speaks on such occasions.
Meanwhile, the White House also acknowledged this Tuesday that President Biden did not have a “great night (of debate),” but asserted that he knew how to get things done and is ready to govern the country for the next four years. “Honestly, this It's something the president has addressed several times since last Thursday. First of all, I want to say that we understand the concerns. We understand. The president did not have a great night. As you all know and many of you came up during the debate, the president had a cold. He had a hoarse voice,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at her daily press briefing.
“Everyone heard it, that's why they came closer. But I will say this, and the president said it over the last few days, certainly right after the debate. He knows how to do the job and he knows how to do the job, not because he says so, because his history shows it. Because for three and a half years, almost four years, the president's record has been unprecedented and he has delivered for the American people,” she said.
Jean-Pierre was inundated with questions about Biden's health, his mental health and his ability to govern the country for the next four years. “Another thing he said that I would add is that he makes a difference. good from evil. He knows how to tell the truth. And, once again, he knows how to deliver for the American people. Joe Biden is a person, take away the title, he is someone who has faced tragedy. He is someone who has faced that head on. “He is someone who knows how to get up once you get knocked down,” he said.
“That's something that he understands very, very well and I think it's something that many Americans across the country understand as well. He knows how to get back. He knows how to get back. Therefore, the president will continue to focus on what he has been doing for the last three and a half years,” Jean-Pierre stated.
Biden, he said, will continue to focus on the American people. He cited former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's remarks that it's not about performance in terms of a debate, but performance in a presidency. "This is a president, you've heard me say this, we've talked of this. He has been able to give us an economic recovery, the strongest economic recovery in modern history. Let's not forget that, during the 2022 midterm elections, many "People, many of you, some of you in this room, said he was going. to be a red wave and that didn't happen. “It defeated big pharma,” Jean-Pierre said.
"We've seen a record low in crime in more than 50 years and then there was Rep. Clyburn, who said the president has done a great job leading the way over the last three and a half years.
"The best predictor of future behavior is past performance. This is from Clyburn. And when you look at President Biden's record versus former President Trump, you look at President Biden, who has achieved the strongest recovery in modern history, versus the previous administration whose plans would hurt the middle class," he said. Jean-Pierre said it's not unusual for incumbents to have a bad night in their first debate. "I think the president's record certainly speaks for itself," he said.
Biden will travel to Wisconsin on Friday, where he will have an interview with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos while he is on the campaign trail.
He will travel to Philadelphia on Sunday. And next week he will host a NATO press conference, Jean-Pierre said.
Biden, 81, who is seeking a second term in the White House, stumbled in his first televised presidential debate with his predecessor Trump, 78, on Thursday night last week, raising alarm bells among senior Democrats on whether the sitting president can stay on top of the presidency. exhausting months before the elections.
During their roughly 90-minute debate defined by personal attacks, Trump, the presumptive Republican Party nominee in the Nov. 5 presidential election, clashed with Biden from the start, arguing scathingly about the U.S. economy, foreign relations and migration. “He wasn't very smart. “I decided to travel around the world a couple of times… shortly before the debate,” Biden said while speaking to donors at a fundraiser in a Virginia suburb of Washington, DC, on Tuesday.
"I didn't listen to my staff ... and then I almost fell asleep on stage," he said, amid pressure on Biden to drop out of the White House race because of his advanced age.
Biden admitted that he didn't have a good debate and apologized, saying he regretted the performance. "It's not an excuse but an explanation," he said.
The president's remarks at the fundraiser lasted just six minutes, far less than he speaks on such occasions.
Meanwhile, the White House also acknowledged this Tuesday that President Biden did not have a “great night (of debate),” but asserted that he knew how to get things done and is ready to govern the country for the next four years. “Honestly, this It's something the president has addressed several times since last Thursday. First of all, I want to say that we understand the concerns. We understand. The president did not have a great night. As you all know and many of you came up during the debate, the president had a cold. He had a hoarse voice,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at her daily press briefing.
“Everyone heard it, that's why they came closer. But I will say this, and the president said it over the last few days, certainly right after the debate. He knows how to do the job and he knows how to do the job, not because he says so, because his history shows it. Because for three and a half years, almost four years, the president's record has been unprecedented and he has delivered for the American people,” she said.
Jean-Pierre was inundated with questions about Biden's health, his mental health and his ability to govern the country for the next four years. “Another thing he said that I would add is that he makes a difference. good from evil. He knows how to tell the truth. And, once again, he knows how to deliver for the American people. Joe Biden is a person, take away the title, he is someone who has faced tragedy. He is someone who has faced that head on. “He is someone who knows how to get up once you get knocked down,” he said.
“That's something that he understands very, very well and I think it's something that many Americans across the country understand as well. He knows how to get back. He knows how to get back. Therefore, the president will continue to focus on what he has been doing for the last three and a half years,” Jean-Pierre stated.
Biden, he said, will continue to focus on the American people. He cited former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's remarks that it's not about performance in terms of a debate, but performance in a presidency. "This is a president, you've heard me say this, we've talked of this. He has been able to give us an economic recovery, the strongest economic recovery in modern history. Let's not forget that, during the 2022 midterm elections, many "People, many of you, some of you in this room, said he was going. to be a red wave and that didn't happen. “It defeated big pharma,” Jean-Pierre said.
"We've seen a record low in crime in more than 50 years and then there was Rep. Clyburn, who said the president has done a great job leading the way over the last three and a half years.
"The best predictor of future behavior is past performance. This is from Clyburn. And when you look at President Biden's record versus former President Trump, you look at President Biden, who has achieved the strongest recovery in modern history, versus the previous administration whose plans would hurt the middle class," he said. Jean-Pierre said it's not unusual for incumbents to have a bad night in their first debate. "I think the president's record certainly speaks for itself," he said.
Biden will travel to Wisconsin on Friday, where he will have an interview with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos while he is on the campaign trail.
He will travel to Philadelphia on Sunday. And next week he will host a NATO press conference, Jean-Pierre said.
