LIVE BLOG: Biden Interview On ABC

 


So tonight, in fact in just a few minutes, George Stephanopoulos of ABC News will be sitting down with President Biden to discuss last week's debate. The above screen capture is from a small two and a half minute clip that ABC put up on its YouTube channel and already from this I can see that things probably aren't going to go too well for the president. For one thing that I noticed, and commented on, is that President Biden said that he had a bad cold the night of the debate and excused a lot of his poor performance on that, saying a doctor had checked him out and said that he didn't have a viral infection. But a cold is a viral infection. So either he has an incompetent doctor, or he's getting the facts mixed up, or he's just plain lying. Either way, not good.

Since I did a LIVE BLOG of last week's debate, I was busy managing that so I re-watched the debate in its entirety without any distractions and I've got to say it seems to be a little bit better, Biden's performance that is, on a re-watch. But is that really the case? Or is it a matter of I was already familiar with the most egregious flubs and hesitations and nonsensical sayings (like "We finally beat Medicare.") so my brain kind of zapped them out. Or maybe it's the gabby I'm on? Or maybe I'm just as senile as Old Joe and like the aberration of the noted saying, "simple minds think alike?"

I think there's also the fact that we're just getting so used to the way Biden is now that we're acclimated to it. Which is why I was amazed by the clip that I posted about when he was giving that speech in North Carolina the day after the debate and he seemed so much more with it. But was he really? Even during that fiery speech, which was in front of a very supportive proud cheering him on, and with full teleprompter assistance, he had a few shaky moments. Have we come to the point where we're rooting for him like we would a toddler learning how to walk, applauding all their feeble and wobbly steps?

All this brouhaha about Biden's competence over the past week has thrown quite a few clips of him in his younger days up on the old YouTube suggestion page and just browsing a few of them you can clearly see the slick and polished speaker he probably prided himself on being back in the day. Maybe a little too slick and a little too polished for today's tastes but that was how politicians spoke back then. That might be one of his biggest problems and has been even before this latest clamor about his diminishing capabilities, the fact he feels he's got to be more folksy and down to earth. Call me old fashioned, but I don't want a president that talks down to the masses and speaks in no greater capacity than an eighth grade level, I want my president to spit out $5 words when appropriate and make stupid people run for their dictionaries. That was him somewhat. I just saw an old clip from the 1970s where he used the word "anachronistic." in the ideocracy that we now live in, no one would use such a word anymore, I guess, because it truly would be anachronistic to do so. Plus like in the movie Ideocracy, you'd be called a fag.

No timestamps since it lasts only 20 minutes or so.

This LIVE BLOGs all ABC News YouTube comments so maybe a bit gentler to the Prez? We'll see...

Stephanopoulos The debate...WTF?

Biden I was exhasted...it was a bad night.

Stephanopoulos You spent 6 days in Camp David, why not enough rest?

Biden The virus thing

Stephanopoulos Did you watch debate?

Biden I don't think I did, no. 

Biden Nobody's fault, mine. "Nashulsecurycouncil" (mushed together) 10 points or 9 [NYT Poll numbers] now whatever the hell it is.

Stephanopoulos  I guess the problem is, back in 2020, you said "watch me."

Biden  I did events in No. Carolina (but that was after the debate)

Stephanopoulos How quickly did it come to you?

Biden He was still shouting with mic off and I let him distract me.

Stephanopoulos  Seems to fit pattern of decline, quoting NYT piece about his decline.


Lets check comments:


​​TRUMP TRUMP TRUMP TRUMP

​​his family and aides should be ashamed.

​​It’s JOEVER

​​HES TOAST!

​​🤡 Dementia 2024 🤡

​​the free world is screwed....

​​They made him memorize that HE HAD A BAD NIGHT

​​bad decade

​​Oh noooo! I cant believe he blamed Trump for his lapses

​​His family should be held accountable for allowing this to continue. It is truly isn’t right.

​​STARE

​​this is so sad....

​​LBJ moment. Will not seek

​​rehearsed

​​LMAO STEP DOWN TAKE THE L

​​DEMENTIA IS ROUGH JACK

​​I'm not blaming Trump but it's all his fault!

​​BAD NIGHT BRANDON!! HE'S COOKED! 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂

​​He's like the department manager who won't retire, is not doing the job well, but thinks he's doing just fine.

​​🤣 this guy lost my vote

​​He's not getting younger... he

​​it also clearly wasn't just a "bad night" because his lapses and clear fatigue are showcased constantly, remember all those G7 clips???

​​hes gonna cry

​​this is almost cruel

​​imagine having millions of people turn on you and it not even make a dent in that ego

​​Trump was extremely reserved

​​DOESN'T EVEN WEAR A TIE

​​the real orange man bad

​​Every single one of you will be old someday. I hope the people around you discredit your wisdom and experience too.

​​Large crowds oh my God Trump loves large crowd you can’t handle large crowds give me a

​​he is still trying to find away to blame trump. this guy is such a joke. lol


Stephanopoulos  What has all that work cost you?

Biden Well i think it cost me a really bad night...creaking voice...this next term...and goes into what he plans to do?

Stephanopoulos  Do u dispute more lapses?

Biden Can I run the 110 flat, no, but I'm in good shape, after debate doctor said I was exhausted.

Stephanopoulos  Would you do a full neurological and cognitive test?

Biden I do cognitive and physical everyday.

Stephanopoulos But specific tests?

Biden No no one said I had to.

Stephanopoulos Would you be willing?

Biden I have a cognitive "chest" every day. (sounding defensive)

Stephanopoulos (not letting up) Will you have evaluation?

Biden No, watch me and that's enough.

Stephanopoulos  Can u do next 4 years?

Biden goes into his lean in creepy whisper voice...I put NATO together, I put Putin down, I invented computer chips.


My YT peeps, what say you?....


​​dark biden

​​On the trust me bro train. He is losing it

​​lol

​​If George is asking tough questions Biden is done

​​This guy is toast… I don’t want him representing us.

​​face-orange-biting-nails

​​here goes the whispers

​​Croaking frog

​​BATMAN MODE ENGAGED

​​what is happening

​​"Shot putin down"??????????

​​putin?

​​HE PUT NATO TOGETHER WHAAAAT

​​DARK BRANDO

​​not frail yet falls all the time and needed help getting off the debate stage

​​I’m the guy that put NATO together 🤣

​​CRINGE A/F

​​TOTAL LIES

​​??????????????

​​shhhhhh

​​stroke

​​whatttttttttttttttttt

​​HE PUT NATO TOGETHER

​​He put NATO together? Putin is shut down? LMAO

​​IM BATMAN

​​lol

​​the whisper monster

​​DARK BRANDONNNN LETS GOOOOOO

​​DARK BRANDON

​​I AM THE ONE WHO KNOCKS

​​Joe doesnt like to brag

​​THIS IS NOT LIVE - EDITED !!!

​​AHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

​​DARK BRANDON

​​He’s not well, the world is a mess

​​straight up insane

​​WTF HAPPENED TO HIS VOICE

​​this is NOT going to end well lmao

​​SCARY GUY

​​that lean in was scary!!

​​Sloppy Jo is now whispering ?????

​​DEEP VOICE VADOR


Stephanopoulos  Are u being honest with yourself?

Biden Senior economists...yes, yes, yes (crazy eyes).

Stephanopoulos  You're further behind now in the polls, inflation down, Trump convicted felon, but he's rising and you're dropping.

Biden is holding pen in his hand like he's Bob Dole...why? (And his voice actually getting craggier again and couldn't recall the NYT polls (though he referenced them just minutes ago) that have him significantly behind Trump.)

Biden I don't buy that, oh c'mon (about critics), Trump is a pathological liar, the man is a "congenital" liar.

Stephanopoulos  If you can be convinced that you cant beat Trump, will you stand down?

Biden If the Lord Almighty...

Stephanopoulos  If Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi want you out?

Biden I would go into detail [about his abilities?]...but they're not gonna do that.

Biden is visibly pissed that George is being so tough.

Stephanopoulos  But what if?

Biden Not gonna answer that question. Not gonna happen. (Very defensive)


Pretty much, that's it. Split screen talking head commentators discussions:

Many of these pundits now analyzing interview and still feel very shaky about his abilities and whether he can effectively stay in race and worry about his ability to win.