Joe Biden’s critics have doubled-down on their attacks on the president following his participation in a TV interview on Friday.
The 20-minute talk with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos was Biden’s first TV interview following his poor performance in the first presidential debate against former president Donald Trump a week ago on June 27.
Writing on X, formerly Twitter, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said: “That was not a media interview of a sitting President. That was a therapy session with a former Democratic operative begging President Biden to get out of the race.”
He added: “America is hurting and the world is on fire.”
Speaking on Fox News, former Republican Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy said before the interview was aired that it should have been “live” to show that Biden had “nothing to hide” and with someone other than Stephanopoulos, a former senior adviser to President Bill Clinton.
“I believe the tide is turning against him now very strongly,” he said. “I don’t know if he can reverse the course.”
Biden told Stephanopoulos he had been feeling ill during the TV debate and reiterated excuses about being “exhausted” by previous travel. He vowed to remain in the presidential race and said that the “vast majority” of the Democratic Party does not want him to stand down, despite some calls from within his own party.
Newsweek contacted Biden’s campaign by email to comment on this story.
Another Republican taking a swipe at Biden was Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs, who said: “Joe is incapable of doing the job,” in an interview with Newsmax. He said he was “dangerous to the country.”
The President did attract some support from his Democratic colleagues, including Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman who said on MSNBC that people “need to rally behind Biden.” He added on X: “Democrats need to get a spine or grow a set—one or the other. Joe Biden is our guy.”
However, at least one Democrat continued to question whether the 81-year-old was fit to rule.
Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois, the fourth House Democrat to call on Biden to exit the race, said on CNN when asked about Fetterman’s comments: “I think what takes a spine is to step aside and recognize the president of the United States doesn’t have the vigor necessary to overcome the deficit here, and it’s going to affect us all.”
Despite criticism, Biden is on course to be confirmed as the party’s 2024 nominee at the Democratic National Committee in Chicago in August.
Then he will face Trump in the presidential election on November 5.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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