Biden interview: Biden Refuses Cognitive Test, Denies Trailing Trump in Presidential Race
Biden interview: Biden Refuses Cognitive Test, Denies Trailing Trump in Presidential Race
President Joe Biden firmly dismissed taking a cognitive test or undergoing an independent medical examination on Friday, maintaining his capability and vigor to run for president and defeat former President Donald Trump.
Why It Matters
In an interview with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos, Biden avoided the verbal missteps and incomplete thoughts that marred his recent debate performance.
- His responses combined offense, defense, and denial regarding the state of the race.
- "I have a cognitive test every single day," Biden said when pressed about taking a formal test. "Everything I do. Not only am I campaigning, I am running the world."
- Biden asserted that only "the Lord Almighty" could convince him to drop out of the race.
- He expressed skepticism about polls showing him trailing Trump, insisting he can win in November. "All the pollsters I talk to tell me it's a tossup," Biden said. "There's a lot of time left in this campaign."
Driving the News
Biden's interview followed a rally in Madison, Wisconsin, part of his campaign's strategy to demonstrate his energy and readiness to run for president despite his poor debate showing.
- It's uncertain if the interview will alleviate growing concerns within the Democratic Party about his candidacy.
- David Axelrod, a former senior Obama official, remarked that Biden's response to the age question seemed out of touch with reality. "Someone needs to be honest with him about where he stands in the polls," Axelrod said. "His portrait of where he is in the race doesn't comport with reality."
Zoom In
Biden reiterated previous statements that he had a poor debate because of a severe cold.
- When asked if he watched his debate performance, Biden replied, "I don't think I did. No."
- He vigorously defended his administration's and his personal achievements. "I was also the guy that expanded NATO. I was also the guy that grew the economy," he said. "All the individual things that were done were ideas I had or I fulfilled."
Zoom Out
While Biden campaigned in a crucial state, members of his party expressed deep concerns about his ability to defeat Trump.
- In the Senate, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) is organizing Senate Democrats to discuss Biden's path forward in the 2024 election.
- In the House, the number of Democrats calling for Biden to withdraw from the race grew to four. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill) told CNN it was "disturbing" that Biden hadn't watched his debate performance. "The president of the United States doesn't have the vigor," he said. "This is about pragmatic politics. All that really matters is avoiding a Trump presidency."
The Other Side
Before departing from Madison, Biden told the press pool on Air Force One that he's spoken to at least 20 lawmakers who are urging him to stay in the race.
- Regarding Warner's efforts, Biden was dismissive. The Virginia senator "is the only one considering that," he said.
- Biden also criticized the press, saying, "You've been wrong about everything so far. You were wrong about 2020. You were wrong about 2022. We were gonna get wiped out — remember the red wave?"
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional reporting throughout.
