President Joe Biden admitted it was a "mistake" to suggest putting a "bull's-eye" on Republican nominee Donald Trump, but maintained that Trump's rhetoric poses a greater threat to democratic institutions.
Biden's controversial comment came during a private call with donors as he attempted to revitalize his campaign after a poor debate performance, saying it was "time to put Trump in the bull's-eye" due to insufficient scrutiny on his stances and lack of campaigning.
In an NBC News interview with Lester Holt, Biden defended his campaign while expressing concerns about Trump's impact on democracy.
Biden's campaign resumed full-throttle activities after a brief pause following an assassination attempt on Trump, with Biden criticizing Trump's newly announced running mate, Senator JD Vance of Ohio.
Speaking to reporters en route to a series of campaign events in Nevada, Biden said, "He's a clone of Trump on the issues. I don't see any difference."
He added that Vance shares Trump's policies on key issues such as abortion, taxes, and climate change.
"He signed onto the Trump agenda, which he should, if he's running with Trump," Biden said.
Following the announcement of Vance as Trump's VP choice, the Biden campaign swiftly mobilized. They sent out a fundraising solicitation signed by Biden himself, and the campaign released a scathing statement criticizing Vance's alignment with Trump's "extreme MAGA agenda."
The statement accused Vance of being willing to "bend over backwards to enable Trump."
Meanwhile, Biden acknowledged the backlash from his own party and the right-wing, saying that his rhetoric paled in comparison to Trump's incendiary comments, including references to a "bloodbath" if he loses the election.
"How do you talk about the threat to democracy, which is real, when a president says things like he says?" Biden questioned.
Despite growing defensive during the interview about his fitness for office, Biden insisted that he was ready to continue his campaign.
He expressed confidence in his mental acuity and dismissed concerns about his age, even as he faced scrutiny from within his own party.
The assassination attempt on Trump led to a temporary halt in Biden's campaign ads and a canceled visit to the Lyndon B. Johnson Library.
Biden's renewed campaigning included speeches in Nevada and engagements with civil rights groups like the NAACP and UnidosUS.
His team recalibrated their strategy, but Biden remained firm in his commitment to stay in the race.
