Biden calls debate against Trump a 'bad episode'

WASHINGTON - US President Joe Biden again called his debate against Republican opponent Donald Trump "a bad episode," suggesting in an interview with ABC News on Friday that his shaky performance was due to poor preparation, exhaustion and illness.

"No indication of any serious condition. I was exhausted. I didn't listen to my instincts in terms of preparing and — and a bad night," Biden, 81, told ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos.

"I was feeling terrible," said Biden, his voice hoarse and sometimes halting. "Matter of fact the docs with me. I asked if they did a COVID test because they're trying to figure out what was wrong. They did a test to see whether or not I had some infection, you know, a virus. I didn't. I just had a really bad cold.

He added that it was no one else's fault but his own, and that he hadn't rewatched his debate performance.

Biden's comments came in a clip of an interview that is being closely watched by Democrats concerned about the president's ability to serve another four years, or beat Trump, 78, in November’s election, after his faltering debate performance on June 27.

"I've seen enough," Ron Fournier, senior advisor with communications agency Truscott Rossman and former White House correspondent, said on social media platform X alongside the clip. "It hard to imagine this good man beating Trump and serving four more years in the most demanding job on earth."

The full interview will air at 8 p.m. ET (0000 GMT). —Reuters