Interview weakens Biden – but not enough

Last night, “Resident” Joe Biden granted an interview to ABC News’ George Stephanopoulous in a special program. Some Democratic Party leaders might have expected Stephanopoulos to wound Biden fatally, to help convince him he must drop out. That did not happen. What happened instead is that Stephanopoulos exposed Biden further as old and feeble.

The interview

George Stephanopoulos did interview the President, and the interview first aired at 8:00 p.m. EDT as a dedicated special. ABC will air the interview again tomorrow morning at 10:30 a.m. EDT on This Week with George Stephanopoulos.

By all accounts, this interview did not land the fatal blow for which many had been hoping. But several commentators said it showed Biden as old, feeble and week, just the same. Erick-Woods Erickson, the “Georgia Political Junkie,” said he expected top Democratic leaders “to confront Joe Biden privately.” Erickson named three names:

• Sen. Charles M. Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senate Majority Leader,
• Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), House Minority Leader, and
• Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), former Speaker of the House.

During the interview, Biden flatly refused to take a cognitive function test. He also astounded Stephanopoulos and others by claiming victory over Russian strong man Vladimir Putin.

Stephanopoulos asked tougher questions than most observers expected, especially on Biden’s physical and mental fitness. Some had speculated before the event that Stephanopoulos had “an assignment” to push Biden to ruin himself. Biden did not ruin himself, but merely reinforced everyone’s bad impression of his debate. When Stephanopoulos asked if he knew how badly the debate was going, Biden began to “mumble incoherently.” But in the end he admitted: “I just had a bad night.”

In answer to another question, Biden said he’d drop out only if “God [came] down and [told him] to.”

Gloom and doom

Mike LaChance at The Gateway Pundit collected several X posts with embedded video of ABC News commentators, and other comments. Their facial expressions were evocative of fear of inevitable electoral defeat.

Tellingly, Pundit Jonathan Karl and others expressed despair that Biden was “in denial” that he would inevitably lose the election. Actually one expects a candidate to express hope of victory until the last votes are in, and the last recount has happened. But one doesn’t expect a candidate to believe his own propaganda.

Previously, Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) became the first Member of Congress (in either chamber) to suggest that Biden step aside. Four fellow House members have joined him in this. Now Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) has announced his intention to recruit other Democratic Senators to tell Biden the same thing. (Warner does not face re-election, but his colleague, Tim Kaine, does.) The Washington Post says Warner is trying to assemble a “coalition” but will name no names. (In fact, Sen. Kaine does not support his colleague in this endeavor, and made that clear.)

Worst-case scenario

This interview is, without question, worst-case for the Democrats. The same Erick-Woods Erickson who confidently predicted that Biden would never drop out of the race, is now suggesting that current and former Democratic Congressional leaders might now be able to persuade him. The problem is that George Stephanopoulos was supposed to land the fatal blow, and didn’t.

Furthermore the Democrats have no “bench” from which to draw a substitute. Vice-President Kamala Harris and Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) both poll worse than Biden against Donald Trump. So the Democrats are committed to Biden. Now, some wags say, the only way they can win is with a massive cheat. Except this time, more cadres of Republican accredited poll challengers – and even Officers of Election who are replacing less-alert workers who have retired, citing their own advanced age – will be watching.