Biden Gives First Post-Debate TV Interview to ABC News
Summary from the AllSides News Team
President Biden gave his first televised interview since the debate with former President Trump on Friday, in which ABC News' (Lean Left bias) George Stephanopoulos probed him about his health, cognitive ability, and determination to stay in the 2024 presidential race.
The Details: During the 22-minute-long interview, Biden defended against concerns from across the political spectrum about his age and ability. Biden, during questioning, asserted that he would not step down from the race and that he merely had a bad night during the debate. Questioning whether Biden would take and share the results of a cognitive test with the public led Biden to explain how "every day" as president is like a cognitive exam.
For Context: Before the interview, Biden held a campaign rally in Wisconsin, where he defended criticisms and reportedly “committed to debating Trump again.”
Key Quote: A USA Today (Lean Left bias) writer said it takes both “confidence and competence” to win the presidency, “but what if confidence keeps flowing after competence runs dry?”
How the Media Covered It: Writers from left to right criticized the 81-year-old president. Dana Milbank (Left bias), writing for the Washington Post (Lean Left bias) focused on Democratic concern that Biden will not be able to beat Trump, saying he is a “pathological liar,” yet “here we are talking about Biden’s mental acuity” instead. Isaac Schorr (Lean Right bias), writing for the New York Post (Right bias), said Biden’s team is clinging to the good days, leading Schorr to ask, “Where are they?”
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Right
Biden: I Haven’t Had Cognitive Test Because ‘No One Said I Had To’, I Won’t Take One Because Being POTUS Is a Test![AllSides Media Bias Rating: Right AllSides Media Bias Rating: Right](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/bias-right.png)
During an interview with ABC News on Friday, President Joe Biden said that he hasn’t had a specific cognitive evaluation because “No one said I had to” and “they said I’m good.” And refused to take an independent cognitive evaluation because “I’ve already done it” because “I have a cognitive test every single day.”
ABC host George Stephanopoulos asked, “Have you had a full neurological and cognitive evaluation?”
From the Center
Biden defends health, insists he will beat Trump in high-stakes interview![AllSides Media Bias Rating: Center AllSides Media Bias Rating: Center](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/bias-center.png)
President Biden defended his health and insisted he can beat former President Trump in November in a high-stakes interview Friday that came after his dismal debate performance in Atlanta last week.
“I don’t think there’s anybody more qualified to be president or win this race than me,” Biden told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos.
From the Left
‘In denial’: Democrats livid that Biden is digging in![AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Left AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Left](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/bias-leaning-left.png)
![](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/styles/feature_image_300x200/public/biden%20cog.jpg?itok=yhDKp--k)
President Joe Biden’s first televised interview since last week’s debate meltdown did little to stop the bleeding.
Members of Congress and top Democratic operatives told POLITICO shortly after Biden’s sit down with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos aired that the president was more energetic and forceful than he was on stage during last week’s showdown with Donald Trump — but it likely won’t be enough to tame the panic.
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