His interview with George Stephanopoulos did nothing to reassure people worried about a Biden defeat.

Follow this authorDana Milbank's opinions

Stephanopoulos pointed out that Biden is behind in the polls.

“I don’t buy that.”

Stephanopoulos, a veteran of the Clinton White House, told Biden he’d never seen a president with a 36 percent approval rating get reelected.

“I don’t believe that’s my approval.”

Is he more frail now?

“No.”

Does Biden dispute that there have been more mental lapses lately?

Advertisement

“Can I run the 100 in 10 flat? No, but I’m still in good shape,” Biden replied.

Biden’s determination not to give an inch was belied by his delivery: some of the same mouth-agape looks while listening to the question, a couple of meandering answers where he seemed to lose his train of thought. Incredibly, he said he hadn’t re-watched the debate that threatens to sink his candidacy. “I don’t think I did, no,” he said after a pause. He also said he had been distracted during the debate because of Trump’s behavior: “Even when they turned his mic off, he was still shouting.” The debate was broadcast in split screen, which did not show this.

But one other thing came through clearly in the uncomfortable interview. Biden has a strong — and justified — sense of unfairness about what is happening to him.

Advertisement

Asked if he can serve effectively for four more years, he uncrossed his legs and leaned forward. “George, I’m the guy that put NATO together. No one thought I could expand it. I’m the guy that shut Putin down. No one thought could happen,” he said. “I’m the guy that put together a South Pacific initiative with AUKUS. I’m the guy that got 50 nations — not only in Europe, outside of Europe as well — to help Ukraine. I’m the guy that got the Japanese to expand their budget.”

There were more such recitations of achievement. “I don’t think anybody’s more qualified to be president or win this race than me,” he said, and “I’m the most qualified person to beat him.” He argued that, even with what he has done so far, “I’d go down in history as a pretty successful president.”

Biden’s frustration is understandable. He has amassed an impressive record of achievement. The presidential race should be about that, and about Trump’s lies, and the unique threat he poses to American democracy. Half a dozen times, Biden reminded Stephanopoulos that Trump is a “congenital liar” and a “pathological liar” and the like. And yet, here we are talking instead about Biden’s mental acuity.

Advertisement

Biden is hearing........

© Washington Post