Investing.com-- President Joe Biden indicated that he had no intention of dropping his bid for re-election and running against Donald Trump, but noted that it was going to be a close race.
In an interview with NBC, Biden dismissed concerns over his mental health and calls from some Democratic party members that he pull out, stating that he was “on the horse,” and that he was in “command of all his faculties.”
“We knew this was going to be a close race when (Trump) announced,” Biden said.
Biden’s comments come in the wake of an assassination attempt on Trump over the weekend. A shooter missed Trump, with a bullet just grazing his ear before the Secret Service intervened.
Referring to the attack, Biden said there was “no place for violence” in American politics.
He also said it was a mistake for him to say that he wanted to put Trump back in a “bull’s-eye” in comments made just days before the shooting.
“I didn’t, I didn’t say cross hairs. I meant bull’s-eye. I meant focus on it. Focus on what he’s doing,” Biden said.
Biden said he was unsure about the trajectory of the presidential race after the attack on Trump.
Still, Biden reiterated his criticisms of Trump, particularly his use of incendiary rhetoric, his stance on corporate tax cuts, and his alleged support of the January 6 insurrection.
Trump was officially nominated as the presidential candidate for the Republican party on Monday, and chose Ohio Senator J.D. Vance as his running mate.
Commenting on Vance, Biden said that his policies largely aligned with those of Trump, and that Trump was also likely to surround himself with people who shared his rhetoric.