A bronzed Joe Biden made a bizarre claim about inventing a computer chip during his make-or-break interview Friday.
Biden, 81, would repeatedly respond to questions in a raspy, weary voice, often losing track mid-sentence and at times ignoring questions in an attempt to make occasionally outlandish claims about his record.
The president at one point told George Stephanopoulos that 'we used to have 40 percent of computer chips. We invented the chip, the little chip, the computer chip. It's in everything from cell phone to weapons.'
The first microchip was invented by Texas engineer Jack Kilby in 1958. Biden may have been referring to his administration's efforts to bring chip production back to the US after COVID-related supply chain shortages.
But his debate fiasco and subsequent flubs mean critics within his own party are waiting to pounce on any unspecific ramblings as evidence of Biden's unsuitability to run - including a claim made yesterday that he is a black woman.
Biden also rejected taking an independent medical evaluation that would show voters he is up for serving another term in office.
'Look, I have a cognitive test every single day,' Biden said, referring to the tasks he faces daily in a rigorous job. 'Every day, I´ve had tests. Everything I do.'
A bronzed Joe Biden made a bizarre claim about inventing a computer chip during his make-or-break interview Friday
Biden was gently but repeatedly probed by Stephanopoulos about whether he was being realistic in his belief that he could beat Trump, giving widening polls between the two and growing concern from elected Democrats.
'I don't think anyone is more qualified,' Biden told Stephanopoulos in the interview. The polls, he said, were inaccurate.
Asked whether he would drop out if fellow Democrats in Congress said he was hurting their re-election chances in November, Biden said: 'If the Lord Almighty comes out and tells me that I might do that.'
The 22-minute interview, which Stephanopoulos said was not cut or edited, was being closely watched by Democrats concerned about the president's ability to serve another four years, or beat Trump, 78, in the election, after his faltering debate performance on June 27.
A senior House of Representatives Democratic aide, who declined to be named, told Reuters after watching a short clip aired before the interview: 'I don't see how he (Biden) lasts the week as the nominee.'
He insisted that he was not more frail and that he is 'still in good shape.' He said he has an 'ongoing assessment' by his personal doctors and they 'don't hesitate to tell me' if something is wrong.
Biden was also asked how he'd feel if Trump beats him and it all comes down to that first debate performance.
'I'll feel, as long as I gave it my all, and I did as goodest job as I know I can do, that's what this is about,' he said, making up the word 'goodest'.
Biden, 81, would repeatedly respond to questions in a raspy, weary voice, often losing track mid-sentence and at times ignoring questions in an attempt to make occasionally outlandish claims about his record
The president at one point told George Stephanopoulos that ' we used to have 40 percent of computer chips. We invented the chip, the little chip, the computer chip. It's in everything from cell phone to weapons'
Following the highly anticipated interview that was seen as a significant test of his fitness to run for office, ABC News' Jonathan Karl said a prominent ally of the president could only say 'wow' in response to that quote.
Biden spoke to Stephanopoulos in a voice that resembled the weak rasp of his debate showing after questioning whether he'd even re-watched it, saying 'I don't know why' he had such a bad performance.
He insisted that he was not more frail and that he is 'still in good shape.' He said he has an 'ongoing assessment' by his personal doctors and they 'don't hesitate to tell me' if something is wrong.
During the interview, Biden said he undergoes 'ongoing assessment' by his personal doctors and they 'don't hesitate to tell me' if something is wrong.
'Can I run the 100 in 10 flat? No. But I´m still in good shape,' Biden said.
Biden suggested that Trump´s disruptions - while standing just a few feet from him - had flustered him: 'I realized that, even when I was answering a question and they turned his mic off, he was still shouting and I let it distract me. I´m not blaming it on that. But I realized that I just wasn´t in control.'
Asked how he might turn the race around, Biden argued that one key would be large and energetic rallies like the one he held Friday in Wisconsin. When pressed that Trump routinely draws larger crowds, the president laid into his opponent.
'Trump is a pathological lair,' Biden said, accusing Trump of bungling the federal response to the COVID pandemic and failing to create jobs. 'You ever see something that Trump did that benefited someone else and not him?'
Biden repeatedly rejected taking an independent medical evaluation that would show voters he is up for serving another term in office
Biden was gently but repeatedly probed by Stephanopoulos about whether he was being realistic in his belief that he could beat Trump, giving widening polls between the two and growing concern from elected Democrats
Biden also insisted he was the 'most qualified' to lead Democrats against Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.
He also tried to claim his performance last week was a 'bad episode' and there were 'no indications of any serious condition.'
'I was feeling terrible,' said Biden, his voice hoarse and sometimes halting. 'Matter of fact the docs with me. I asked if they did a COVID test because they're trying to figure out what was wrong. They did a test to see whether or not I had some infection, you know, a virus. I didn't. I just had a really bad cold.
'I didn't listen to my instincts in terms of preparing,' Biden added.
Yet Biden's rigorous efforts to course correct from his debate performance were not yet quelling internal party frustrations, with one influential Democratic senator working on a nascent push that would encourage the president to exit the race and Democrats quietly chatting about where they would go next if the president drops out - or what it would mean if he stays in.
