(NEW YORK) — Former President Joe Biden, on ABC’s “The View” on Thursday, railed against President Donald Trump’s second term so far and said he took responsibility for Trump’s historic return to the White House.
“He’s had the worst 100 days any president’s ever had,” Biden said of his Oval Office successor.
Biden maintained he would have beaten Trump in the election, but said he accepted some blame for Trump’s victory because of voter concerns about border security and the cost of living during his tenure.
“I do, because, look, I was in charge and he won. So, you know, I take responsibility,” the former president said.
Discussing Vice President Kamala Harris’ loss, Biden said he was “disappointed but not surprised.”
“I wasn’t surprised, not because I didn’t think the vice president was the most qualified person to be president … I wasn’t surprised because they went the route of — the sexist route, the whole route,” Biden said.
Biden also noted “liberal democracies lost” across the world, and believes they underestimated the negative impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on people’s attitudes.
Biden and his team were criticized for his decision to seek reelection and later withdraw after a poor debate performance against Trump that moved some Democrats to publicly question his ability as he approached the age of 82 to campaign for and serve another term.
Biden conceded on “The View” that he had a “terrible night” during the debate.
The Bidens also pushed back heavily on reports claiming he was experiencing cognitive decline in the final year of his presidency.
“They are wrong. There’s nothing to sustain that,” Biden said.
The Bidens have kept a relatively low profile since leaving Washington in January, though the former president is beginning to ratchet up his public appearances.
Joe Biden’s first major speech since departing the White House came last month in Chicago, when he rebuked the Trump administration’s approach to Social Security. In his first post-presidency interview, broadcast on the BBC on Wednesday, sharply criticized Trump and the current administration on a host of issues: He likened Trump’s push for a peace deal that would have Ukraine cede territory to Russia to “modern-day appeasement,” and blasted Trump’s threats to acquire Canada, Greenland and the Panama Canal.
Trump, for his part, routinely criticizes Biden as “the worst president in American history” and blames him for various difficulties in his own administration, including recent stock market turmoil and a decline in U.S. gross domestic product.
Biden’s presidency marked the culmination of a career in public service that spanned more than five decades, including 36 years as a senator and eight years as vice president. He leaves behind a complex legacy, punctuated by Trump’s historic victory in November.
More broadly, the Bidens’ appearance on “The View” comes as Democrats are in the midst of rebuilding their coalition and retooling some parts of their message; and grappling with what role — if any — the former president should play in the future of the party.
Two key electoral races this year will stress test those changes: gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey. It’s unclear if Joe Biden will be involved in campaigning.
Both Joe Biden and Harris have signed with the CAA talent agency.
Meanwhile, Jill Biden, who retired from her longtime teaching career in December, was recently named as chair of the recently launched Milken Institute’s Women’s Health Network, which will promote research and investments for women’s health.
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