President Biden held a key press conference Thursday night where he doubled down on his earlier pledge to stay in the race, but also made several gaffes, including cutting himself off and using the word “anyway” at least nine times.
“I've got to pace myself a lot more. The next debate, I'm not going to be traveling 15 time zones a week before. That was the goal anyway,” Biden said after being asked by reporters about reports that he would need to go to bed earlier that day.
“That's what it is. And by the way, nevertheless, I love my staff. But they add stuff. They always add stuff. … I get a big scolding from my wife for that. Anyway,” he continued.
According to a transcript of the press conference, Biden said “Anyway” at least nine times during the roughly 58-minute press conference, sparking jokes on social media about the “Anyway drinking game.”
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Fox News' “Jesse Watters Primetime” aired edited versions of Biden's repeated use of “anyway,” including six of the nine times in the transcript of the press conference.
Biden's press conference came amid growing concern that he may not be mentally capable of remaining in the Oval Office for another four years, with 17 Democratic lawmakers calling for him to drop out of the presidential race as he prepares to face former President Trump in November.
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President Biden speaks at a press conference during the NATO summit in Washington, D.C. on Thursday. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“Joe Biden's record in public office is unmatched,” Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, wrote to X after the press conference. “His accomplishments are immeasurable. His legacy as a great president is assured.”
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“He must not risk his legacy, his record, and American democracy to confront the horrors Donald Trump promises.”
Conservatives took to social media to criticize Biden throughout the event for a number of gaffes, including holding up a list of reporters he was scheduled to call, appearing to confuse Vice President Kamala Harris with former President Trump and repeatedly saying “anyway.”
“This NATO press conference with Biden is another disaster. It is baffling that those advising this man continue to think he will not embarrass himself and this country. Why do they continue to allow this to happen?” Fox News contributor Tammy Bruce posted on X during the press conference.
But the president's allies deemed the press conference a success, commenting on social media that Biden was “strong” in the way he answered reporters' questions.
Biden held an hour-long press conference where he answered multiple questions in an attempt to ease concerns about a mental breakdown.
President Biden addressed concerns about his mental capacity during a press conference on Thursday and staunchly defended his record in office. (Getty Images)
“Frankly, this is a very powerful performance. @POTUS delivered a master class in how foreign and domestic policy intersect, and explained how important U.S. global leadership is to people at home. Well done, Mr. President,” Democratic strategist Joel Rubin posted on X.
“Tonight Joe Biden spoke at length and in detail about the major national security issues he's addressing, while also calmly but forcefully defending his views on the state of this campaign. 50 minutes of Q&A. He needed to make a big impact tonight, and he did,” former White House communications director Kate Bedingfield posted on X.
The president again addressed concerns about his mental capacity at his press conference and staunchly defended his record in office.
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“Am I getting the job done? Can you name someone who has passed more significant legislation in three and a half years and created 2,000 jobs just last week? So if I slow down, I'm not getting the job done. That's a sign that I shouldn't be doing the job. But there's no sign of that yet… none at all,” he said.
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a campaign rally in Las Vegas on June 28. (Bizayev Tesfaye)
Biden also weighed in on whether Harris could become president, elaborating that he would not have chosen her as his running mate in the 2020 presidential election if he didn't think she could.
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“First of all, how she's handled the issue of women's bodily freedom and her ability to control her body. Secondly, her ability to handle almost every issue in committee. She's been a fantastic prosecutor. She's a first-class person and she's been really good in the Senate. I wouldn't have picked her if I didn't think she was qualified to be president. From the beginning. I've never made any secret about that. She is qualified to be president. That's why I picked her,” he said.
Biden was addressing media this week to leaders attending a ceremony marking the 75th anniversary of the NATO defense military alliance.