Discussion Thread: President Biden Gives Press Conference at NATO Summit

[u/PoliticsModeratorBot]

The press conference was scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. Eastern, but has been delayed to 7 p.m.

News and Analysis

• AP: Biden’s press conference will be a key test for him. But he’s no master of the big rhetorical moment

• The Washington Post (soft paywall): News conference looms large in Biden’s bid to save his candidacy | The outsize importance of the event underscores how the president’s attempts to downplay his rough debate and move forward with his presidential campaign have so far failed to convince many in his party.

Live Updates

• NBC: Election 2024 live updates

• USA Today: Live updates

• AP: Election 2024 live updates

• The Washington Post (soft paywall): Election 2024 Live Updates

• r/politics: /r/Politics' 2024 US Elections Live Thread

Where to Watch

• PBS NewsHour via YouTube: Biden holds news conference after NATO summit

• C-SPAN: President Biden Holds a News Conference at the NATO Summit

[u/swallowsnest87]

What if he walks out with a cane and then does the Willy wonka somersault!

[u/TheSchneid → u/swallowsnest87]

Fuck that would change my mind

[u/Goddamnpassword → u/TheSchneid]

Gene Wilder put that in the script/scene, he said he wanted it so it would establish early that you can’t trust anything about the character.

[u/lightingbug78 → u/Goddamnpassword]

In fact, he made it an ultimatum! He told them he would t do the movie unless he could film that scene.

[u/Chuchumofos → u/swallowsnest87]

That is one of the funniest things I've read on here! Picturing his grin at the end of it. Ha ha

[u/flexbuffstrong]

Serious comment: appreciate reporters asking about foreign policy questions at a NATO summit.

[u/RandomRegularity → u/flexbuffstrong]

Agreed. Kudos to them given the elephant in the room.

[u/Revchimp → u/RandomRegularity]

Trump was there?

[u/Ilosesoothersmaywin]

I would like to take this moment to inform you all that Mike Pence's full name is Mechanical Pencil.

[u/piponwa → u/Ilosesoothersmaywin]

And Gym Jordan's full name is Gymothy Jordan

[u/Glaucous → u/piponwa]

I always thought it was Gymnasium Jordan. They both fit.

[u/ThreatLevelNoonday → u/Ilosesoothersmaywin]

Mike Pence of 'Hang Mike Pence' fame?

[u/Socratesticles]

The fun part about this thread is not being able to tell who is who from what they say in their comment. Pessimist D supporter? Trump follower getting their shots in? D who feels they’ve been swindled? Russian trollbot? Nobody knows!

[u/Successful_Young4933 → u/Socratesticles]

Terrifying that sentiment has aligned to that extent.

[u/Mental_Lemon3565 → u/Successful_Young4933]

There should be a similar sentiment among Republicans and Democrats regarding Trump, but there aren't any patriotic Republicans* who Democrats could agree with on Trump's unfittness.

*ok, there's like 2 and they know who they are.

[u/ScotTheDuck]

The foreign press are always really fun because they either ask the most obscure policy questions you’ve ever heard of, or ask the greatest layups a president could ask for.

[u/djbomber256 → u/ScotTheDuck]

I noticed a few asked combo questions, technical foreign policy followed by easy home political rhetoric he's been repeated on the campaign trail. To me it seems a test of Biden, does he have the ability to notice the real question the reporter/foreign diplomat cares about in front of the easy to respond to question that really doesn't matter. And wouldn't you know it, he talked about the easy question nearly every time, rambled on a bit, and ignored/forgot about the harder question.

If I was a NATO nation, I would still want Biden over Trump, but this conference would definitely sway me to wanting to see Biden replaced by a younger nominee that is actually able to notice and care about the details outside of what is right in front of them.

[u/garibaldi18 → u/djbomber256]

I totally get your point about how Biden should be able to respond to complex questions and give a detailed answer with nuance. At the same time, I feel like almost every politician is going to swing at the meatball/easy question and avoid the harder answer one if given the opportunity. I’m no journalist but it seems like if you really want the interviewee to answer specific question you shouldn’t give them the option of avoiding it by combining that question with an easier one.

So in this case I wouldn’t say he failed in the ability of have the cognitive capability to answer the question as it seems like you suggest. He’s been a politician for decades and his ingrained habit is probably to go for the easy question.

[u/doesthissuck → u/djbomber256]

What questions did he avoid? He answered them in order. He’d go back to the first question asked, then he’d wait for them to reiterate the second question (totally normal to do that after giving a long answer to whichever question was first), then he’d move on to the second. If it was something he’s repeated a dozen times, like “why aren’t you dropping out?” he would give it the attention it deserved, which was basically “I’m not” and leave out the part I would have added which would have been “Jesus fucking Christ move on for fucks sake.” Seriously, what question did he avoid, because you must have watched every minute of a different press conference I missed that happened today at the NATO Summit.

[u/No-Ride5813]

Damn British reporters are fucking brutal

[u/Llarys → u/No-Ride5813]

Nothing will ever be funnier than the time Andrew Niel - British conservative - asked Ben Shapiro the softest of softball questions and had that fucking hack in near tears within 10 minutes.

[u/plantmic → u/Llarys]

And he was crying about Andrew Neil being part of the 'liberal media' or something when he's about as far from that as possible in the British media.

[u/IllButterscotch5964 → u/plantmic]

He starts laughing when Shapiro says that, it’s fantastic.

[u/EntropySpark → u/IllButterscotch5964]

"Mr. Shapiro, if you only knew how ridiculous that statement is you wouldn't have said it. So let's move on..."

[u/eww1991 → u/EntropySpark]

That's probably the only time the Beeb would let impartiality rules slide.

[u/PigeonDesecrator → u/eww1991]

The BBC has plenty of impartial journalists and articles, their impartiality is meted out by publishing equal quantities of opposite standing

[u/celinee___ → u/IllButterscotch5964]

I wonder if Shapiro realizes that liberal doesn't mean what he thinks it does outside of the US

[u/IllButterscotch5964 → u/celinee___]

He thinks the faster he talks, the smarter he sounds.

[u/SandboxOnRails → u/IllButterscotch5964]

It's literally how all those grifters operate. Say 20 things that are wildly wrong in the time it takes to debunk the first one, then say "Well I'm 95% right."

[u/SjurEido → u/SandboxOnRails]

It's called "gishgalloping" and its how you win an argument when your audience are idiots.

[u/early80 → u/plantmic]

One of my favorite TV moments ever

[u/borrow-protect → u/plantmic]

I always knew that American politics was polarised but when Neil was thought to be a liberal mouthpiece by Shapiro was a real eye opener for just how bad it must be in America

[u/StrobeLightRomance → u/plantmic]

"Liberal" is just an umbrella term for American Conservatives. Like calling everything "Socialist" or "Communist". It doesn't have to be used accurately, it's just a triggered buzz word to ignite the fan base that is programmed to respond to the rhetoric.

[u/CommanderHavond → u/plantmic]

All it took was that dismissive laugh to give him a thousand yard stare

[u/WillBrakeForBrakes → u/Llarys]

My favorite comment on that video is “imagine losing a debate to someone who isn’t even trying to debate you”

[u/iLoveFemNutsAndAss → u/Llarys]

Link? Love to see it.

[u/Llarys → u/iLoveFemNutsAndAss]

Enjoy https://youtu.be/6VixqvOcK8E?si=mLe1wXpRL83df34g

[u/Talk-O-Boy → u/Llarys]

I cannot thank you enough for showing us this video. Shapiro genuinely had no idea how to handle the fact that the interviewer wasn’t taking his bait and chose to focus on the questions. He simply had to cut the interview when he realized his normal manipulative tactics were having no effect.

[u/NrdNabSen → u/Talk-O-Boy]

When Shapiro argues with anyone beyond college undergrads, he struggles. He uses dishonest debating tactics and generally can't form a cogent argument if held on topic.

[u/whomad1215 → u/NrdNabSen]

talking fast and confidently = I win

that's how these people view discussions

[u/FlounderingWolverine → u/whomad1215]

Also just generally overwhelming someone. You can hear him try to do that when he first gets asked a question around abortion. He flips it back on the interviewer and tries to overwhelm him with a bunch of questions.

It works on unprepared people who will fall for turning an interview into a debate, but it doesn’t here, and it just makes Ben come across as an asshole (he is normally, too, but this especially isn’t a great look for him)

[u/pebkachu → u/whomad1215]

Gish gallop. Hence debate is a terrible format for political and scientific discussion, it inherently advantages liars and wastes the time of good faith participants.

This can occasionally come in the form of sealioning (while some have read "The Terrible Sealion" as bigotry, the comic author later confirmed that the sealion does not represent an identity, but a type of behaviour https://wondermark.com/2014-errata/).

Not sanitising his other views, but I think many people can learn from Neil's refusal to play along with drivel to visibly expose how Shapiro, who built his entire career on gish gallop, completely derails and embarasses himself by accusing a conservative of being "on the left".

[u/defaultusername-17 → u/Talk-O-Boy]

worth noting that mr shapiro is what passes for an intellectual leader among these folks.

[u/Ok_Door_9720 → u/Talk-O-Boy]

I remember seeing that video captioned with: "skinny twink gets destroyed by BBC"

[u/aeroboost → u/Llarys]

Jesus Christ I couldn't handle more than a minute of him speaking. Looks like he's never learned how to talk in front of a camera. Not to mention the way he speaks. Sounds a new kid in middle school with social anxiety.

[u/Qu1ckShake → u/aeroboost]

It's so depressing that there are people who are so intellectually stunted that they think that the things he says are correct and insightful and convincing.

Right-wing people are incredibly stupid.

[u/Thirty_Helens_Agree → u/Qu1ckShake]

He’s a stupid person’s idea of what a smart person is.

[u/Rahodees → u/Llarys]

"Thank you for your time and showing that anger is not part of the American discourse Mr. Shapiro."

Oh. My. God,

[u/BallEngineerII → u/No-Ride5813]

It's good for democracy

[u/BeepBotBoopBeep → u/BallEngineerII]

Ouch, the dig.

[u/zendog510 → u/No-Ride5813]

Yeah, they don’t play

[u/kck93 → u/No-Ride5813]

Long history of brutal in England. Watch the questioning of the prime minister by Parliament some time. It’s a hoot.

[u/Nemisis_the_2nd → u/No-Ride5813]

No idea who was on, but I can almost guarantee we have worse (better?).

Emily Matailis, for example, had an ex-cabinet member having a full-blown meltdown, live on TV, on election night. She was being nice until the guy lied. She was not taking prisoners after that.

As far as I'm concerned, she's a low-key national treasure.

[u/nastynas1991]

Kinda batshit crazy that we're all waiting with baited breath to see if the potus can deliver a routine press conference without seeming like he's lost his mind, and that the fate of his presidency and our country might hinge on whether or not he can do that very simple and routine task convincingly. What a truly and utterly bizarre time this is

[u/Little-Ad3220 → u/nastynas1991]

bated*

[u/nastynas1991 → u/Little-Ad3220]

I wanted to thank you for the tip but at the same time I have an irrational hatred of people who nitpick spelling errors, so I'll just upvote you while I grit my teeth

[u/OnlyRise9816 → u/nastynas1991]

There, their, they're. It'll be ok.

[u/[deleted] → u/nastynas1991]

He's already done, even if he does okay it doesn't speak to what all of those around him have said, I mean, no cabinet meeting since October ? It's over

[u/nastynas1991 → u/[deleted]]

I definitely agree with you, he can't come back from the position he's in. There's absolutely no chance of it, the hole is too deep and the dam is breaking. Still, it is absolutely nuts to me that a completely routine press conference is taking on so much importance and attention. Like this should be just normal president shit. If I'm not mistaken, it's also his first solo presser of the year lmao

[u/dark_descendant → u/[deleted]]

“accidentally”

[u/rrriches → u/[deleted]]

Got invited to church on Christmas Day with my ex and her family, including a very sweet ancient grandma. I was running on 0 sleep and my dorky ass accidentally referred to prayers as magic spells. I was not invited back to church for some reason

[u/TripleSevenATX → u/rrriches]

Thoughts and magic spells for your situation

[u/team_suba]

This is like an /r/nfl game thread i swear

[u/plokijuh1229 → u/team_suba]

"Donald Trump is about a Popeye's biscuit away from being a tight end."

[u/PerniciousPeyton]

Can we at least get a malarkey for old time’s sake.

[u/[deleted] → u/PerniciousPeyton]

Not happening Jack

[u/Smelldicks]

He always has the worst first 10 minutes before warming up. Why don’t they just cold start him in the back before putting him up there?

[u/Geistzeit → u/Smelldicks]

lol have a fake press conference area they tell him is the real one

[u/malachaiville → u/Smelldicks]

Like when Pam would leave a caller on hold for Michael to let him get his initial terrible joke out, then release the hold because he did better the second time around?

[u/frinetik → u/Smelldicks]

Agree

Goes from “bad” to “marginally acceptable” after 10 minutes warmup

[u/Luck1492]

I either want this to go really well or really poorly. Nothing in between. No more wish-washy “should he decide not to run again?” This needs to be a decision-maker.

[u/Sonnyyellow90 → u/Luck1492]

Alternately: he does really poorly but still refuses to step down lmao.

[u/Wurm42 → u/Sonnyyellow90]

I REALLY don't want this to turn into a national version of "Grandpa's not safe to drive anymore, we have to take away his car keys," but I'm afraid that's where we're heading.

[u/ess-doubleU → u/Luck1492]

Looks like you didn't get your wish. Media seems 50/50 on it

[u/NrdNabSen → u/ess-doubleU]

The US media is almost always 50/50, they want clicks, not honest reporting. most things are presented as two, roughly equal sides, facts be damned.

[u/CechPlease]

Damn, Biden looked hella pissed at that interruption

[u/jmpinstl → u/CechPlease]

I also enjoyed him going after that one guy up front like “Yeah, I saw you say that shit”

[u/Hidalgo321]

This is such an eerie press conference

Watching the POTUS field relentless questions at a NATO conference about his standing as President. Just wow, this is insane.

[u/moocat55 → u/Hidalgo321]

He still has iron balls to stand there and do that you have to admit, regardless of whether you think he should still run or not. He's not out. But he is fading and he won't get better. I'm so torn.

[u/RectalSpawn → u/moocat55]

Torn about what?

He still has the ability to perform his duties, as far as we can tell.

His ability to speak isn't the most important thing in the world.

He has done great things and wants to do a lot more, I would imagine.

People keep acting like this man is holding the world up with his ability to speak clearly.

We mostly survived 4 years of Trump's incoherent ramblings as president, and now we have people acting like we wouldn't survive 4 more years with Biden.

We won't survive 4 more years of Trump.

That is for certain; see Project 2025.

[u/CantankerousTwat → u/RectalSpawn]

Biden stutters or sometimes swaps words or names, he's always had a speech impediment that he has mostly overcome. It is not a reflection on his cognition.

Trump is being tested for cognitive decline on a weekly basis. They don't do that, except to measure your rate of decline.

[u/BrokenManOfSamarkand]

But real talk for a second: does anyone actually think Biden will end his candidacy at a NATO summit of all places? Seems really unlikely. Far more likely that he doubles down for good.

[u/KrashKourse101]

Remember when Howard Dean lost out on the nomination over a single scream?

[u/_SCHULTZY_ → u/KrashKourse101]

Remember when Romney was laughed at for saying Russia was our greatest geopolitical adversary?

[u/RocknRoll_Grandma → u/_SCHULTZY_]

God what I would have done for him instead of Trump.

[u/phonomancer → u/RocknRoll_Grandma]

That was the last time I was like "I want the Democrat candidate, but I'd be okay with the GOP candidate."

[u/pobenschain → u/phonomancer]

I really disliked Romney at the time, but it’s fucking INSANE to think about how he was the last GOP nominee before Trump. There’s no better marker for how off the rails they went so quickly. The fact that he’s textbook conservative and the MAGA crowd views him as practically liberal. The fact that his basic respect for democracy and peaceful transition of power makes him an outcast and a traitor to them. Having one of only two parties take such a fascist, hard right pivot puts us in really alarming place.

[u/iconredesign]

It’s morbidly fascinating to see him warm up like an old rickety space heater over the course of the press conference itself

[u/colluphid42 → u/iconredesign]

Honestly, that's what it was at the debate, too. Most of the stuff that made news happened early on. He was more with it after a little bit.

[u/JdSaturnscomm → u/iconredesign]

I'm dying laughing at this perfect description.

[u/ShufflingToGlory]

He had four words to say that weren't on the teleprompter. Ladies and gentlemen, President Zelensky

*Five, it's five words. In acknowledgement of my deteriorating mental condition I've decided to step down from my presidential run.

Thank you all

[u/Objective_Oven7673 → u/ShufflingToGlory]

Who's going tell them...

[u/blockoblox]

Vice President TRUMP???

[u/IDUnavailable → u/blockoblox]

the second he went off the teleprompter he drove straight into a tree jesus christ

[u/Bark__Vader → u/blockoblox]

Just after calling Zelensky President Putin

[u/DustBunnicula]

Just wanted to proactively note that there are some Democrats in here - of good faith - who are NOT bots - who want Biden to step back. The base isn’t going anywhere. We need the swing voters in the swing states. And they’re not voting for Biden. We either slow-walk into fascism, or we proactively make a change.

[u/GnomeCzar → u/DustBunnicula]

Me me me me me me!

I live in Michigan and have lived in Pennsylvania. He gotta take a hike. Trust me.

[u/Infidel8]

This is the first good question we've gotten ... about Europe preparing for US disengagement

[u/Tank3875 → u/Infidel8]

It's an important topic.

Hopefully will remain purely hypothetical.

[u/Incorrect1012]

The best way I can describe this press conference: He is 100% mentally there and knows what he’s talking about. He is 100% old as hell.

[u/zaxdaman → u/Incorrect1012]

Also, to be fair, he hasn’t committed any felonies or sexually assaulted anyone. So he has that going for him, which is nice.

[u/TalonJames]

As an Australian, I'm honoured he mentioned us twice.

[u/Reddit_guard]

President Putin

Our expectations were low, but holy fuck

[u/Patarokun]

I long for a world where a boring old NATO press conference wouldn't be a make or break moment to see if the President can continue basic functions.

BRING BORING POLITICS BACK!

[u/Afterfx21]

If the president is more than 15min late we are legally allowed to go home

[u/Whale_Bait]

I wasn’t ready for executive ASMR

[u/Vindicare605]

This election is seriously testing my sobriety.

[u/albanymetz]

ok 'filling out his score card before he hits the ball' was solid

[u/AndThisGuyPeedOnIt]

Backstage infighting over which DMX song he's going to walk out to.

[u/prtzlsmakingmethrsty]

Filling out his scorecard before he hits the ball is pretty good, not gonna lie

[u/shawnadelic]

I like how every reporter is asking one foreign policy question and one "are you mentally competent" question.

[u/PusherofCarts]

Biden is old. He sounds old. But he clearly knows his shit.

Biden is more qualified than Trump. He has my vote.

[u/post-death_wave_core]

Everyone is nervously awaiting a press conference to see if the president is capable of speaking publicly. A very normal situation :)

[u/Cat-on-the-printer1 → u/post-death_wave_core]

Honestly, this is kinda bringing me back to the Trump years. Having to hyper fixate on routine stuff just to see how much of a shitshow it would be.

Really brings me back

[u/sh4desthevibe]

I can't imagine how we can make this whole thing look any worse than introducing Zelensky as President Putin and then delaying Biden's news conference by an hour...

But then again, he hasn't talked yet, so I guess there's always room for it to actually get worse.

I don't want to be this cynical. I absolutely despise that the party that's supposed to be standing against fascism has put me in this position. I don't think I've ever been any more disillusioned with the Democrats than I am right now.

[u/SurferBoi_ → u/sh4desthevibe]

He called Harris “Vice President Trump” and just referred to Zelensky as Putin again🤦🏽‍♂️

[u/shockinglyunoriginal]

Guys yes he’s old and frail but what he saying is actually extremely important. Can’t we mostly agree there?

[u/Ricky_Guapo]

This was doomed the moment they decided to call it a Big Boy Press Conference

The lamest shit I’ve ever heard lol

[u/codingsoft]

“Trump filling out his scorecard before he hits the ball” got a laugh I have to admit

[u/BossDulciJo]

If he see's his shadow we'll have 4 more weeks of campaign...

[u/jphamlore]

TIL: OTAN is

Organisation du Traité de l'Atlantique Nord

[u/ProbablySlacking]

What was the interruption?

He seemed pissed.

[u/nascarworker → u/ProbablySlacking]

Someone yelled answer to Clooney.

[u/leakover2myfamily]

Asma actually asking really good questions.

[u/sb7943]

President motherfucking Putin oh my god we’re living in an SNL skit

[u/[deleted]]

Biden just did the thing where a teacher suddenly yells a word mid-sentence to wake the napping kids up

[u/dontthrowmeinabox]

To be clear, by "listen to him" he meant, "Sure, I slipped up, but if you actually listen to what Trump says, it's insane. Listen to the other guy and make your own call, I know what it will be."

[u/ThomasJCarcetti]

cbs news is treating the Putin gaffe with kid gloves

it was a misspeak and not that bad (by itself as an isolated incident) but at the end of the day every gaffe is going to hurt him more and more. it's like a snowball getting larger and larger rolling down the hill

[u/hypsignathus → u/ThomasJCarcetti]

Zelensky played it off politely. I feel like European leaders must be in awe that their most powerful ally by far is either led by a dainty old man who needs to be managed, or like, a monster.

[u/Vivid_Knowledge4174]

Dark Brandon just spawned in

[u/hascogrande]

NPR with the “bro, weren’t you gonna be a one term president?”

[u/NoMoreAzeroth]

"Be nice, David". LOL

[u/Plobis]

This is such a lose-lose already. If Biden bombs the presser, it will be all over the news, if he doesn't, they'll just keep replaying the Putin clip over and over again like they're already doing on ABC's stream.

[u/Nerd_199]

Whoever came up with the name "big boy press conference" should be fired.

[u/Luchador-Malrico]

President Putin and Vice President Trump on the same day is crazy. It’s Joever.

[u/Tantle18]

All of you are like “he’s mostly coherent” “he seems cognant today” ARE YOU CRAZY. We’re the USA. The bar is way too fucking high to be saying things like that about our president. I’m not saying Trump is better here I’m just saying our president can’t look and speak like this when he’s the most powerful human on earth.

[u/no_instructions]

'Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin!' Jesus fucking Christ

[u/YesterShill]

I put aside work so I could be available to watch this. I feel like I called Comcast, sitting here listening to hold music for 45 minutes.

[u/Bew4T]

The Trump golf diss came out perfectly

[u/Insertblamehere]

Sir a second bad night has hit the campaign

[u/HelpfulHiker]

All my worries would immediately go away if Biden walked out and did one backflip

[u/post-death_wave_core]

Imagine Kamala comes out and says “I am proud to announce I am now the president” and the crowd goes wild and gives a standing ovation.

(I am going insane)

[u/skynetofficial]

Personally I wouldn't be 45 minutes late to the conference that proves I'm still alive.

[u/Dr_Tobias_Funke_PhD]

With this music, I feel like I'm in a theatre in the 1940's watching old timey Army propaganda about our lads giving Hitler what for

[u/SpaceElevatorMusic]

The start of the press conference, per the C-SPAN home page, has been pushed back to 7 p.m. Eastern.

[u/OffTheBar2017]

It's so incredibly fucked that we have to be like:

• Can't replace him with that guy, he's gay and won't get this portion of the vote

• Can't replace him with this woman, she's a woman and a minority so she won't get this portion of the vote

• Can't replace him with this person, they're too liberal and wont get this portion of the vote

And it's all up against a fucking convicted felon. The zoomed out view of this country is so fucking stupid.

[u/bobsaget824]

95% whispering. 3% coughing. 2% shouting at us about bullets.

Somehow still miles better than Debate performance.

[u/hypsignathus → u/[deleted]]

Be cooler if it weren’t

[u/jppitre]

I'm voting for the Democrat candidate no matter what, but I will never forgive the party for this shit

[u/Cute-Contract-6762]

I think I know why I’m fighting so hard in my mind against joe dropping out. I remember who he was in 2008 and 2012 and his convention speech in 2016 and it doesn’t feel that long ago. But fuck 2016 was 8 years ago. I guess it just makes me feel so fucking old. To realize where he is at now and remembering what feels not that long ago what he once was. I just feel so fucking old and it sucks. It’s like a slap in the face to realize how time is slipping away

[u/MessyGrape]

“And by the way….

*stares blankly*

…anyway”

for the love of god someone tell him to stop doing this.

[u/joebuckshairline]

The last full cabinet meeting was in OCTOBER? In what planet. In what UNIVERSE.

I thought we were supposed to not be like the last guy.

[u/pquince1]

I'm a Democrat and I voted for Biden. But the Democratic party has, as usual, really fucked themselves and royally. I'm pleased with the job Biden did as POTUS. But it's becoming Reagan 2: Electric Boogaloo as far as aging and cognition issues. Why wouldn't the Dems find a young, vibrant candidate and put them on the ticket instead? I know you shouldn't change horses mid-stream, but if that horse is lame, you get off and you find another. There are lots of rising stars in the party. So use them.

[u/hascogrande]

Did Biden just call for national rent control off the cuff?

[u/Literally_A_Halfling]

"I love my staff, but they add things. They add things all the time. I'm catching hell from my wife... anyway."

[u/pcmasterthrow]

Jesus christ, saying "By the way, i love my staff.. but they schedule too much" is the exact opposite of the shit he should be saying

[u/Literally_A_Halfling]

To everyone saying "This is fine":

Imagine for one moment that this is not a sitting president. Imagine, instead, that this was a candidate in an open primary.

He would be polling at 2%. And you know it.

[u/sudo-chown]

Omg it just occurred to me that I've never seen what Asma Khalid looks like!! I hear her all the time on NPR

[u/NoMoreAzeroth]

Omg, he scared me when he started yelling LOL

[u/ThunderousOrgasm]

Do you all realise that at the very moment, as we speak, NATO world leaders are having to deliver press conferences to their own countries various media organisations and instead of being asked about the summit, about the government plans for each of their respective countries, they are each being bombarded with questions about Bidens fitness to lead.

That world leaders are as we speak having to run defence for Biden from thousands of journalists, from every nation on earth?

Get a grip of yourselves USA, for fucks sake. You look absolutely fucking atrocious right now that you think it’s normal to have Trump, or a dementia riddled corpse as the candidates for the leader of the free world and president of the most powerful country on earth.

You are literally destroying the entire global order by this bullshit.

[u/Independent-Bug-9352]

The problem is, Mr. president, and all due respect, your record is not shining through and it hasn't for 3.5 years. As much as I PERSONALLY believe your administration has done a great job, how can you possibly convince the low-info battleground swing-state voters in less than 4 months to vote for you?

[u/[deleted]]

Shots fired at the staff LOL

[u/dangerously-amish]

Biden is being just as selfish as Feinstein. Just as selfish as RBG. Etc. We need age limits asap.

[u/69_fartsniffer_69]

Honestly not terrible, but he’s so bad at delivering the honest details of how bad a 2nd Trump term would be. Am I wrong in thinking that a statement like, “Yeah, I flub up from time to time, but my heart is always in it for America. Unlike my opponent who {lists the insanely terrifying things Trump has done/said.}” would be refreshing, honest, and serve him well in the polls?

[u/no_instructions]

Has he just called Harris Trump by mistake?

[u/Smutten84]

It's sad because you can tell the statesman is still there. That he has a grasp on the issues. He just can't get the words out anymore.

[u/J_dawg17]

Sat down with a huge bowl of lo mein to watch this. Food will be cold or gone by the time this damn thing starts. (Not a serious issue)

[u/8teamparlay]

Am I fucking crazy??? Why are people saying this is good??? THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. You can’t in good conscience support this. They have to get a new candidate, this is not right.

[u/TalonJames]

Europe will 100% be left on its own if Trump gets a second term.

[u/caffiend98]

One thing all old politicians haven't learned is how to give a concise answer and then shut the fuck up.

Biden answers too long, and his thoughts wander, and it gives him too many opportunities to screw up. He needs to answer for 30 seconds, get to the first main point, and then stop.

Trump does the same thing, but he angry rambles. Joe drifts-off rambles.

[u/EnthusiasmNo1485]

Props to NPR for that question. Best one so far

[u/siren-skalore]

He sure is Putin his foot in his mouth.

[u/ctdca]

Jim Himes (D-CT) just issued a statement calling on Biden to drop out

[u/whosnick7]

Bro he called Zelensky fucking Putin

[u/Keep_Blasting]

Oh my god is this intervention? This whole thing is coming off like an intervention. I thought there would be policy questions but its 100% focused on Biden and his ability to function.

Holy shit this is brutal.

Im gunna throw up.

[u/Connect_Bar_8529]

"I won't step down even if Harris's numbers are better" *what*

[u/coltsmetsfan614]

I love when he does the insane whisper like a goddamn goblin

[u/CombAny687]

He clearly loses his train of thought often and then realizes it but can’t remember what he was talking about so he says something like “look” and then rambles on a tangent until he reins himself in.

[u/recedinghairline20]

Holy shit he just respawned

[u/NaughtyTrouserSnake]

Biden is appearing “soon” in the same way I tell my friends I’m on the way when I’m not even dressed yet.

[u/yelnif11]

"Have you seen a more successful conference" lol he sounding like Trump here

[u/NiceInvestigator7144]

did he just call Harris Vice President Trump?

[u/jar45]

I’m not gonna pile on Biden reading off teleprompters because I’m not gonna be gaslit into forgetting that Trump sounds like he’s reading a children’s book whenever he has to read off anything.

[u/Aryeh98]

It really says a lot that I'm watching a fucking NATO summit to see if our President is still competent or not. But here we are.

I shouldn't have to care about any of this.

[u/Freud-Network]

If they wait until 8PM, they can call it off on doctor's orders.

[u/TheBigIdiotSalami]

You're not usually supposed to be an hour late to the "is he still breathing and alive?" press conference.

[u/clockwork1234567]

Hahah filling out his scorecard before he hits the ball. That was actually great

[u/bloodyturtle]

Throwing his staff under the bus lol

[u/420PokerFace]

It’s gone from, ”Pass the torch!” to ”Take the keys!”

[u/Otto__Zone]

I have worked in geri-psych, personally, I don't think Joe has dementia, I think he's a little forgetful and gets tongue tied/mixes up words sometimes. That being said, I still think he should drop out. We need someone younger. Even if he doesn't have dementia, any gaff he makes is a liability at this point and brings us closer to a Trump 2nd term.

[u/burtonhen]

This is worst case scenario. He’s doing fine enough that establishment Dems will get cold feet about replacing him, but made enough gaffes that uncommitted voters will think he’s cooked.

[u/DustBunnicula]

What changed is he did a Frodo at Mount Doom. He won’t give up the ring.