"Complete Exclusion of Presidential Candidate Withdrawal"
Trump Proposes Additional Debate "Will Do It Again"
"Trump Is a Pathological Liar"
U.S. President Joe Biden on the 5th (local time) firmly rejected mounting pressure to withdraw from the presidential race immediately after a TV debate, asserting that he is the best candidate to defeat former President Donald Trump.
In an interview with ABC News that day, President Biden stated, "I am the most suitable person to win this election and become president," and claimed, "Trump is a pathological liar."
When asked if he would take a cognitive test to dispel concerns about his age, he replied, "I undergo cognitive and neurological tests every day," adding, "No one has told me I need a cognitive test." He continued, "I spoke with the new British Prime Minister today and make critical national decisions every day." When asked if he refuses to take an independent cognitive test, he simply answered, "I am already doing that."
President Biden emphasized that he was severely ill with a bad cold during the first TV debate and reiterated that it was "a bad night." At that time, he sparked controversy by stammering severely and making statements that lacked logical coherence.
In the interview, President Biden explained the situation by saying, "I was sick. I was tired," and "I felt absolutely terrible." He added, "In fact, the doctor conducted a COVID-19 test and checked whether I had a viral infection," confirming, "I did not, and it was confirmed to be severe cold symptoms."
President Biden stressed, "I prepared for the debate, and all the mistakes were my fault, no one else's," and emphasized, "I was prepared and usually listen carefully and make sound judgments in regular meetings."
Seemingly aware of criticism that he failed to respond properly to former President Trump's attacks during the debate, he claimed, "(In the debate) Trump lied 28 times, but I did not." He also stated, "I am the person who devised the Middle East peace plan, expanded the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and revitalized the economy," warning, "There could be a recession during Trump's administration, and inflation will start rising again."
President Biden highlighted Japan's increased defense budget and the billions of dollars in investments attracted to the U.S. through his visit to South Korea, saying, "I am running again because I understand what needs to be done." He also mentioned the recent conservative-leaning Supreme Court's de facto immunity decision favoring former President Trump, emphasizing the importance of the next president.
He stated, "There were similar concerns in 2020, but I won. We will win," expressing confidence that he is honest with himself and will defeat former President Trump in this election. Regarding polls showing him significantly trailing Trump after the TV debate, he countered, "I don't believe them. The majority does not."
Amid ongoing public calls for resignation from Democratic members of the House of Representatives, when asked about reports that Senator Mark Warner (Virginia) is gathering senators to publicly demand President Biden's resignation, he only said, "I respect him despite differing views."
Immediately after the interview recording, when asked by reporters about the possibility of withdrawing from the race, President Biden firmly stated, "Withdrawal is completely out of the question." When asked why he thinks he is the best candidate, he replied, "Because I have beaten Trump before," and when further questioned, "Wasn't that four years ago?" he retorted, "You are wrong on every issue." Regarding former President Trump's proposal for additional debates, he asserted, "I promise now. I will definitely do it."
President Biden faced controversy over his health and cognitive decline due to old age after stammering and failing to form coherent sentences during the first one-on-one debate with former President Trump on the 27th of last month. Since immediately after the debate, voices within and outside the Democratic Party have called for his resignation from the candidacy.
So far, various polls have shown a high level of doubt about President Biden's suitability for the presidency, and the gap in support has widened in hypothetical matchups against former President Trump, but President Biden still insists on completing the race.
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