On Monday’s broadcast of CNN’s “The Lead,” host Jake Tapper said that “it is not honest” to say that President Joe Biden’s debate struggles are “just one night.” And he has had other moments that are “not just a senior losing a train of thought, but something else going on.” And that the low number of press conferences and interviews that Biden has done “says quite a bit to me.”
After Tapper played video of Biden struggling during the debate, Biden Campaign Co-Chair Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) stated that Biden’s debate performance wasn’t perfect, but 2024 Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump had worse moments when he was “unleashing a torrent of lies, of invective, of vengeance.” Coons also stated that everyone has bad nights, Biden should do more unscripted events so people can see he’s up for the job, and he’s done a good job as President.
Tapper then said, “So, with all due respect, it is not honest to say that this is just one night. There have been moments like this that people have seen in front of the cameras and other moments with cameras not there. Just two weeks ago, let me just show this clip, there was another moment like this, not just a senior losing a train of thought, but something else going on. Here he is, it was an event about immigration. He tries to interview — introduce DHS Secretary Mayorkas and there’s some sort of glitch, I don’t know what it is.”
Tapper then played a clip where Biden said, “Thanks to all the members of Congress and Homeland Security Secretary — I’m not sure I’m going to introduce you all the way, but all kidding aside, Secretary Mayorkas –.”
Tapper then cut in to state, “I don’t know what that was.”
Coons responded, “That doesn’t trouble me at all, Jake. Frankly, you can put up a dozen clips of me, of you, of anybody who’s on TV who speaks publicly all the time, losing their train of thought, misstating who they’re about to introduce, not having a fluid moment. And, if we’re honest with each other, Jake, every time Donald Trump speaks in front of a rally, there [are] long stretches where he is saying nonsense, where he’s talking about whether he’d rather be electrocuted or eaten by a shark, where he’s saying nonsensical things about forests bursting into flame or windmills causing cancer.”
Coons further stated that Trump is the only one who has multiple members of his first administration refuse to support him, while Democratic elected officials and members of the Biden administration support Biden.
Tapper responded that Trump’s statements and the criticism he has faced from former Trump administration officials have gotten coverage, and “I don’t think it’s fair to compare you or me losing our train of thought with whatever we saw on the debate stage on Thursday and that little clip from two weeks ago.”
Later, Tapper stated that Biden has fewer press conferences and interviews than any President in the modern era and could put the questions about his mental fitness to bed by doing a two-hour press conference, and “the fact that you haven’t done that says quite a bit to me.”
Coons responded by stating that he wants Biden to do something unscripted.
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
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