In an exclusive interview with NBC News, President Biden talks to Lester Holt about the attempted assassination attempt on former President Trump, Democrats’ concerns over his campaign, and Trump’s selection of Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) as his running mate.
Mr. President, thank you for sitting down with us. There’s a lot to talk about. I’d like to start with the horrible events of last weekend that has shocked a lot of Americans. At a political rally your opponent, Donald Trump-- shot-- in the middle of greeting his-- his supporters. You spoke to Mr. Trump afterward. Can you give me-- a sense of that conversation?
Well, let’s talk about the conversation this has started. And it’s really about language, what we say out loud and the consequences of those. You called your opponent an existential threat. On a call a week ago you said, “It’s time to put Trump in the bullseye.” There’s some dispute about the-- the context, but I think you appreciate that words matter--
But have-- have you s-- taken a step back and done a little soul searching on things that you may have said that could incite-- people who are not balanced? So-- so what-- what-- what can you and what will you do, at-- at least things you can control, to lower down the temperature, the rhetoric out there?
I don’t know, but-- but-- But those are policy issues. And-- and we-- Ano-- another question, if I can, about-- Saturday. Of course, the-- the former president was wounded. One of his supporters died. A couple more people were seriously injured. Was this a massive security failure? Is it acceptable that you have still not heard, at least publicly, from the Secret Service director?
All right. I want to ask you about some other developing news today if I can. Judge Cannon dismissed the documents case, as you may have heard, in Mar-a-Lago. Can I first get your reaction to that? Before this violent turn of events over the weekend, the talk, as you know, was about you and your future, if you should stay in the race. Your allies, James Clyburn, Nancy Pelosi, have kind of put it out there that they’re waiting for your decision, giving you time to make your decision. What I hear from you is that you made your decision.
Do you feel like you’ve weathered the storm on-- on this issue of whether you should be on the ticket or not? And-- and the reason I ask, because I guess the question is are you all on the same page as to where-- are you seeing what they saw, which was moments of, frankly, it-- it appeared to be you-- you appeared to be confused.
Well, we-- --that debate. Okay. President O-- Obama put out a statement after the debate, but should he and Michelle Obama be doing more to express their confidence in you? Have you-- have you talked to him since this issue came to light, since the debate? Wanna ask you about-- just shortly before you and I sat down, former President Trump named his vice presidential pick, J.D. Vance. What does that tell you-- his qualities, what does that tell you about-- former President Trump’s values in-- in terms of who he will surround himself with in the next administration should he win?
Mr. Trump has said he’s giving you a chance to redeem yourself, basically the idea of engaging in another debate. But if-- if the opportunity came up to do one between now and then? Is there-- is there a sense of wanting to get back on the horse? Yeah, what hap-- what happens if-- if you have another performance on that par-- on that level?
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