Joe Biden Admits He 'Screwed Up' During Presidential Debate but Isn't Dropping Out: 'I Had a Bad Night'
"That's 90 minutes on stage. Look at what I've done in 3.5 years," Biden said in his 'Earl Ingram Show' interview
Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty
US President Joe Biden during the first presidential debate with former US President Donald Trump, not pictured, in Atlanta, Georgia, US, on Thursday, June 27, 2024.President Joe Biden is recognizing that he "made a mistake" after his 2024 presidential debate against Donald Trump sparked concern.
Biden, 81, addresses critics' comments about his weak performance on June 27 in his interview with The Earl Ingram Show set to air on the Fourth of July, according to CNN.
During the debate, Biden appeared disoriented, and his voice was noticeably muffled at certain stages, reinforcing fears about his age and his candidacy for president in the 2024 election.
Per CNN, Biden is now acknowledging the fact he "screwed up," telling Ingram, “I had a bad night. And the fact of the matter is, that, you know, it was – I screwed up. I made a mistake.”
“That’s 90 minutes on stage. Look at what I’ve done in 3.5 years,” he adds in the interview.
Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty
(L-R) Former U.S. President Donald Trump and current U.S. President Joe Biden during the first presidential debate in Atlanta, Georgia, US, on Thursday, June 27, 2024.While speaking to CNN’s Erica Hill on Erin Burnett OutFront ahead of the interview airing, radio host Ingram said Biden did not “appear to show me signs of a guy who’s ready to throw in the towel,” the outlet reported.
CNN added that White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre insisted on Wednesday, July 3, that Biden was “absolutely not” thinking about stepping down amid the controversy.
“He understands that it is fair for people to ask that question,” Jean-Pierre stated, per the outlet.
“He knew he had to push through. He knew he has to power through. That’s what presidents do,” Jean-Pierre said when discussing the debate. A source previously told PEOPLE that Biden had a cold when he took to his podium.
Related: Can Joe Biden Be Replaced on the Democratic Ticket? What the DNC Rules Say About Switching Nominees
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U.S. President Joe Biden attends a presidential debate with Republican candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump, in Atlanta June 28, 2024.CNN also reported that Biden insisted "no one is pushing me out," according to a source familiar with his staff call with his campaign team. “Let me say this as clearly as I possibly can and as simply and straightforward as I can: I am running," the president said, per the insider.
"I’m the nominee of the Democratic Party. No one’s pushing me out. I’m not leaving. I’m in this race to the end and we’re going to win because when Democrats unite, we always win,” he reportedly added.
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The comments come after Biden addressed his debate performance at a rally in Raleigh, N.C. on Friday, June 28, saying, "I don't walk as easily as I used to. I don't speak as smoothly as I used to. I don't debate as well as I used to. But I know what I do know, I know how to tell the truth!"
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