President Joe Biden admitted it was a “mistake” to suggest targeting Republican candidate Donald Trump, but argued that Trump’s rhetoric poses a greater threat to democratic institutions.
Biden’s controversial comment came during a private call with donors as he sought to reinvigorate his campaign after a poor debate performance, saying it was “time to put Trump in the spotlight” due to insufficient scrutiny of his positions and a lack of campaigning.
In an NBC News interview with Lester Holt, Biden defended his campaign and expressed concern about Trump’s impact on democracy.
Biden’s campaign resumed full steam after a brief pause following an assassination attempt on Trump, with Biden criticizing Trump’s newly announced running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio.
Speaking to reporters on the way to a series of campaign events in Nevada, Biden said: “He’s a clone of Trump on those issues. I don’t see any difference.”
He added that Vance shares Trump’s policies on key issues such as abortion, taxes and climate change.
“He stuck to Trump’s agenda, as he should if he’s running with him,” Biden said.
Following the announcement that Vance would be Trump’s vice presidential nominee, the Biden campaign quickly mobilized. It sent out a fundraising appeal signed by Biden himself and released a scathing statement criticizing Vance’s alignment with Trump’s “extreme MAGA agenda.”
The statement accused Vance of being willing to “do whatever he can to favor Trump.”
Biden, meanwhile, acknowledged the backlash from his own party and the right, saying his rhetoric paled in comparison to Trump’s incendiary comments, including references to a “bloodbath” if he loses the election.
“How do you talk about the threat to democracy, which is real, when a president says things like the ones he says?” Biden asked.
Despite becoming defensive during the interview about his suitability for the job, Biden insisted he was ready to continue his campaign.
He expressed confidence in his mental acuity and dismissed concerns about his age, even as he faced scrutiny within his own party.
The attempted assassination of Trump prompted a temporary halt to Biden’s campaign ads and the cancellation of a visit to the Lyndon B. Johnson Library.
Biden’s revamped campaign included speeches in Nevada and engagements with civil rights groups like the NAACP and UnidosUS.
His team recalibrated its strategy, but Biden remained steadfast in his commitment to stay in the race.
