Updated 01.15 | Published 00.13
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fullscreen US President Joe Biden spoke at a campaign rally in Wisconsin. Photo: Morry Gash/AP/TT
US President Joe Biden says he was ill during the debate against Donald Trump last week.
– I felt terrible, says Biden in a first television interview after the heavily criticized effort.
Biden had a cold during the criticized debate effort, but there is no indication that he was seriously ill, the president himself stated in an interview with the TV channel ABC.
– I was exhausted. I didn’t listen to my intuition in terms of preparation, says Biden, adding that he had a “bad night”.
– They took a test to see if I had any infection, you know, a virus. I didn’t have that. I just had a really cold, says Biden in an excerpt from the interview, which will be broadcast in its entirety at 2 a.m. on Saturday, Swedish time.
Earlier on Friday, after the interview was taped, Biden told reporters that he “absolutely rules out” that he would step aside and let someone else run against Donald Trump in the November election.
– I am nominated for this party because millions of Democrats like you just voted for me in primaries across America. They voted for me to be your nominee, Biden said during a campaign rally in Wisconsin, according to CNN.
The pressure on Biden has increased after the disastrous debate effort. Some question whether he has the stamina for another four years in the White House, others support him and say it was just a bad night.