President Joe Biden sat down with Associated Press reporter Josh Boak on Thursday for his first press interview in 126 days.
“I’m impressed by your objectivity, how you write. I’m not being, I shouldn’t say that on the record because then you’ll get in trouble,” Biden said during the 30-minute exchange.
“I’m in trouble anyway. So it’s OK,” Boak replied.
During the conversation, Biden referred to the reporter’s daughter, warning him about what to expect during her teenage years.
“If your child had been 17 years old two years ago…” he began, during a discussion about the impact the coronavirus had on young Americans.
“I’m not ready for that,” Boak replied.
“Well get ready, man. Boy or girl?” Biden continued.
“Girl,” Boak replied.
“Well, I’ll tell you what, she’s gonna, she’s going to be crazy about you until about age 13,” Biden said. “And then hang on.”
Biden has not done an interview with the press since February 10th, when he sat down with NBC’s Lester Holt for an interview aired during the Super Bowl.
The president was intensely braggadocious during the Associated Press interview taking credit for “saving” the economy with his legislative successes.
“I got 1.9 trillion dollars. Saved the economy,” he said, pointing to Americans struggling to feed their families and pay the rent during the coronavirus pandemic.
“My point is, people would say, ‘How can you get that done?’ If I did, if any other president just passed that act, and the infrastructure bill, they’d say, ‘God almighty,'” he continued. “Name me a president that’s done anything like that before. At the same time.”
Biden indicated the average American was not intelligent enough to understand just how much he did for them.
“I fully understand why the average voter out there is just confused and upset and worried,” he said, arguing the coronavirus pandemic had affected people mentally.
Biden blamed high gas prices on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine but said it was worth the cost to have the United States stand up for Ukraine.
When Boak asked if the American people had a sense of the global stakes he faced on foreign policy, Biden replied, “No, I don’t.”
“I’d say to the American people I’ve done foreign policy my whole career. I’m convinced that if we let Russia roll and Putin roll, he wouldn’t stop,” he said.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.