President Biden is back at it again, desperately trying to shore up support from every corner as his entire party seems to be holding its breath, hoping he’ll step aside gracefully. With donors and Hill Democrats pestering him to drop out, what’s a beleaguered president to do? Answer: line up more primetime interviews to remind the American people why they’re worried in the first place.
Next on the list to babysit Biden is NBC’s Lester Holt, who’s slated to sit down with the President for a cozy chit-chat that will air smack dab on the first day of the Republican National Convention. Coincidence? Highly unlikely. One can only guess at the logic behind scheduling it then, but Biden’s team must think they’re strategically outmaneuvering the GOP by… taping an interview?
MONDAY: President Joe Biden to sit down with NBC News' Lester Holt in an exclusive one-on-one interview.
Watch the interview in its entirety on NBC and NBC News NOW on Monday, July 15 at 9 p.m. ET. https://t.co/y5MaPWbGAa pic.twitter.com/f7Knhlh10S
— Breaking News (@BreakingNews) July 10, 2024
This grand appearance marks Sleepy Joe’s second foray into cable TV post his disastrous June 27 debate. That cringe-worthy event spurred an onslaught of pleas for him to step aside, echoing concerns about his mental and physical fitness. And with countless Democrats quietly muttering “please no” under their breaths, Biden is sticking to his guns, let alone trying to show he’s still got some stamina left to burn.
The President’s upcoming interview in Austin will follow his previous awkward encounter with George Stephanopoulos from ABC News. Biden’s former press secretary, Jen Psaki, perhaps trying to spin gold out of straw, said the President did “OK.” Psaki admitted there were moments in that interview where Biden looked more alert, but also a fair share of those that made the audience wince. When asked by Stephanopoulos how he’d feel if he lost to former President Donald Trump, Biden’s grammatically challenged response was less than reassuring.
NBC promises to release an “unedited” transcript of Biden’s interview with Holt, but who’s placing bets on just how much editing magic will be done before those tapes roll? Despite the network’s assurances, realists know to take it with a grain of salt. Strap in, America. The Biden Show rolls on, albeit struggling to stay on script.