Joe Biden admits he ‘screwed up’ presidential debate, slams Donald Trump over 'Black jobs' remark during face-off
WASHINGTON, DC: President Joe Biden admitted to his poor performance in the presidential debate on June 27, acknowledging that he "screwed up" on stage.
However, the president made it clear that he will not be ending his reelection campaign and will continue his fight against Donald Trump in the upcoming November election, according to The Hill.
Joe Biden asserts he will win 2024 election
Speaking to Wisconsin radio host Earl Ingram in a prerecorded interview, Biden revealed he "had a bad night."
“I screwed up. I made a mistake. But I learned from my father, when you get knocked down, just get back up. And you know, we’re gonna win this election," he continued.
"We’re gonna just beat Donald Trump as much as we did in 2020," Biden added.
The president's poor and shaky debate performance in Atlanta where he appeared to halt and meander, sparking a wave of panic among Democrats and voters, leading to discussions over Biden's viability as a candidate in the 2024 race.
Joe Biden asks voters to focus on his accomplishments
Biden urged voters to focus on his record of accomplishments rather than his widely criticized debate performance.
“I didn’t have a good debate. That’s 90 minutes on stage. Look at what I’ve done in 3.5 years," he said.
The 81-year-old politician highlighted his efforts to lower prescription drug prices and expand healthcare for veterans, while also criticizing Trump for his record on veterans' issues and his treatment of the Black community.
Joe Biden says Donald Trump's 'Black jobs' remark during debate is 'shameful'
Addressing Trump's reference to "Black jobs" during the debate, which received backlash from Black leaders, Biden said, “You know what he’s doing, it’s shameful."
"He’s talking about Black jobs meaning only things Blacks can do, manual labor, menial labor. That’s what he’s doing and that’s how he looks at it," he said.
"Name me something he’s done to help the Black community, give people a shot like I’ve gone with college and education and home-buying and a whole range of things," Biden continued.
“This is a guy who questioned George Floyd’s humanity, led the birther movement against Barack Obama. He’s falsely accused the Central Park Five," he added.
Joe Biden's appeal to the Black community
Addressing concerns from allies that Biden might be losing support among the Black community, the president made an explicit call for them to vote for him in November.
“The vote of the black community matters intensely. Who’s going to represent you except folks like me? And we’re not gonna be able to represent you if you’re not showing up to vote. It matters," said Biden.
“Your voice has to be heard. Lots of close elections in the last couple of years, and every vote counts. Understand that,” the president continued.
“For far too long the Black community, Black Americans often love their country a hell of a lot more than their country’s loves them, loves them back in equal measure. Because folks like you turn out the vote in 2020, we have made remarkable progress," he added.
