Joe Biden sat down for another high-stakes interview on Monday, just two days after his rival, Donald Trump, narrowly escaped serious injury or death from an assassin’s bullet.
As with Biden’s previous ABC News interview, his appearance with NBC’s Lester Holt did little to quell concerns within his own party about his age and cognitive health.
In the wake of the assassination attempt, Biden was asked about his controversial recent assertion that Trump should be in the “bullseye.”
As even a left-wing outlet like The Guardian reported:
“I didn’t say crosshairs. I was talking about ‘focus on’,” Biden said. “The truth of the matter was, I guess what I was talking about at the time was, there was very little focus on Trump’s agenda.”
“The term was ‘bullseye’,” Holt said.
“It was a mistake to use the word,” Biden replied. “I didn’t mean … I didn’t say crosshairs. I meant bullseye … I meant focus on it. Focus on what he’s doing. Focus on his policies. Focus on the number of lies he told in the debate.”
Biden fumbled somewhat during the answer, leaving it unclear whether he was apologizing for telling donors to put Trump in a bullseye or whether he was correcting himself after using the word “crosshairs” instead of “bullseye”.
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Biden’s rhetoric, including the “bullseye” comment, have been the topic of significant social media discussion over the past two days.
Days after Biden says, "We’re done talking about the debate, it’s time to put Trump in a bullseye.", Trump is shot!
Blood on Biden's hands! pic.twitter.com/7KMIfsNx5V
— Richard M Hancock (@RMHancockMusic) July 13, 2024
"I have not engaged in that rhetoric" – Joe Biden
Watch this ad that ran the day of the assassination attempt on Donald Trump. Would you call this incitement?
Decide for yourself. pic.twitter.com/g9hYyZHlfx
— L A R R Y (@LarryOConnor) July 15, 2024
Biden — days after an assassination attempt on President Trump — just denied he has "engaged" in rhetoric that could incite violence.
ALSO BIDEN: "Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic." pic.twitter.com/zYbiJ2GDl7
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 15, 2024
During the NBC News interview, Biden also reacted to Trump’s selection of Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) as his running mate.
According to Fox News:
Biden also had no kind words for Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, whom Trump selected as his running mate for the Republican Party.
“Well, it’s not unusual: He’s gonna surround himself with people who agree completely with him, have a voting record like – support him,” Biden said, before adding “even though if you go back and look at some of the things JD Vance said about Trump,” and then chuckled.
Of course, Vance has repeatedly explained his change of heart regarding Trump.
Here’s JD explaining his past comments on Trump.
— Catturd ™ (@catturd2) July 15, 2024
Here’s a clip from the Biden interview:
NBC: You called President Trump "an existential threat" and said it's time to put him "in the bullseye."
BIDEN: "I didn't say 'crosshairs.'" pic.twitter.com/RKeKVxULJ9
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 15, 2024
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