NBC’s Lester Holt sat down with President Joe Biden for a much-hyped interview that would kick off Biden’s counterprogramming of the Republican National Convention, which kicked off tonight. Despite President Biden’s calls to lower the temperature in the wake of the failed attempt to assassinate former President Donald Trump, his rhetoric remains pretty much the same and met little pushback from Holt.
The interview begins with a question about the assassination attempt. Biden immediately cited the thoroughly debunked “Fine People Hoax” as part of the divisive rhetoric, with zero pushback from Holt.
LOWERING THE TEMPERATURE: President Biden repeats the debunked "Fine People Hoax" during his interview with NBC's Lester Holt. Holt offers no correction, goes right into "rhetoric question" pic.twitter.com/em0qjD74rm
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) July 16, 2024
After stumbling his way around the “bullseye” answer (“I didn’t say crosshairs”), Biden insists on calling Trump a “threat to democracy”, and repeats the debunked “Bloodbath Hoax”. There was some modest pushback this time.
MORE LOWERING THE TEMPERATURE: Biden refuses to stop calling Trump a "threat to democracy", repeats debunked "Bloodbath Hoax". Some pillow-soft pushback from Holt this time. https://t.co/LLjlPhAVyZ pic.twitter.com/4q7fvxheUg
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) July 16, 2024
Holt asks Biden whether the shooting has changed the trajectory of the race. Interesting that Biden says he’s thinking about what coverage Trump will draw from the media going forward.
Holt asks Biden whether the shooting has changed the trajectory of the race. Biden says that no one knows, and claims instead to have thought about Trump's health. Catch the next answer: He's worried about how the media will cover Trump going forward. https://t.co/MnwIrgV5qW pic.twitter.com/mjeArBdDKB
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) July 16, 2024
In furtherance of all the temperature-lowering, Biden lied yet again about a statement made by Donald Trump, again, with no pushback from Holt.This time, about January 6th.
LOWERING THE TEMPERATURE YET AGAIN: Biden asserts, without evidence or pushback from Holt, that Trump said "there's nothing wrong with going into the Capitol, breaking in, threatening people, a couple cops dying..." https://t.co/IxXN8lF3Yp pic.twitter.com/QIWVaOi8FC
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) July 16, 2024
When asked about Judge Cannon’s decision to dismiss the Mar-a-Lago documents case, Biden twice makes reference to a Justice Thomas dissent in the immunity opinion recently issues by the U.S. Supreme Court (Trump v. U.S.).
TIL Justice Thomas dissented in the immunity opinion (Trump v. United States) https://t.co/G0sfLj8FWC pic.twitter.com/sV04AtoCc2
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) July 16, 2024
Finally, Holt asks the candidacy question. Biden digs in.
Holt asks Biden the candidacy question. Biden digs in, is not dropping out. https://t.co/I468FGNBIT pic.twitter.com/AotOeHyD6P
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) July 16, 2024
A frustrated Biden complains to Holt about the coverage he’s received.
We have arrived at the portion of the program wherein Biden complains about his press coverage. https://t.co/RbRwXs8kLM pic.twitter.com/GH9svRmWGf
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) July 16, 2024
When asked whether he’d do an additional debate, Biden states he’s out there doing interviews without notes. Interesting, given the most recent press conference which featured note cards.
BIDEN: "What I'm doing is going out there and demonstrating to the American people that I'm in command of all my faculties, that I don't needs notes, I don't need temeprompt- I can go out and answer any questions at all." https://t.co/DwwOw2VtwV pic.twitter.com/TSFYcyn10T
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) July 16, 2024
Finally, Biden is asked what he’d do if he has another debate malfunction after receiving the nomination. Biden again whines about the press he’s getting.
HOLT: If you were to continue to run and be officially nominated, what happens if you have another episode like we saw during the debate?
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) July 16, 2024
...
BIDEN: I don't plan on having another performance on that level. https://t.co/55zgOAliYa pic.twitter.com/nzV7rwN9CT
From watching this interview, with its blatant mischaracterizations and unchecked untruths, one wonders whether Biden remembers the words he read from the Teleprompter on Sunday. Between that and Holt’s acquiescent lack of pushback or fact-checking, with its laser focus on potential withdrawal from the presidential race, we are reminded of the things that have contributed to the current political environment and led to calls for a “lowering of the temperature”. Tonight’s interview did not serve that purpose.
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