>>> ""JEOPARDY!" MASTERS" WILL BE SEEN AFTER THIS FROM ABC NEWS. >> FROM ABC NEWS, A SPECIAL EDITION OF "THIS WEEK." PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN, HIS FIRST TELEVISION INTERVIEW SINCE THE DEBATE. THE NEWS-MAKING EXCLUSIVE. NOW REPORTING FROM MADISON, WISCONSIN, GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS. >> George: GOOD EVENING FROM MADISON, WISCONSIN, FOR A SPECIAL EDITION OF "THIS WEEK." THE FIRST BROADCAST INTERVIEW WITH PRESIDENT BIDEN SINCE LAST WEEK'S DEBATE. EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON, WE TAPED THE 22-MINUTE INTERVIEW. THERE ARE NO CUTS, NO EDITS. WE HAVE NOT TOUCHED IT. AT THIS PIVOTAL MOMENT IN THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN, HERE IT IS. MR. PRESIDENT, THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. >> George: LET'S START WITH THE DEBATE. YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAVE SAID YOU HAD A BAD NIGHT. >> I DID. >> George: BUT YOUR FRIEND, NANCY PELOSI, ACTUALLY FRAMED THE QUESTION I THINK IS ON THE MINDS OF MILLIONS OF AMERICANS. WAS THIS A BAD EPISODE OR THE SIGN OF A MORE SERIOUS CONDITION? >> IT WAS A BAD EPISODE. NO INDICATION OF ANY SERIOUS CONDITION. I WAS EXHAUSTED. I DIDN'T LISTEN TO MY INSTINCTS IN TERMS OF PREPARING, AND I HAD A BAD NIGHT. >> George: YOU SAY YOU WERE EXHAUSTED, AND I KNOW YOU'VE SAID THAT BEFORE AS WELL. BUT YOU CAME -- AND YOU DID HAVE A TOUGH MONTH, BUT YOU CAME HOME FROM EUROPE ABOUT 11 OR 12 DAYS BEFORE THE DEBATE, SPENT SIX DAYS IN CAMP DAVID. WHY WASN'T THAT ENOUGH REST TIME, ENOUGH RECOVERY TIME? >> BECAUSE I WAS SICK. I WAS FEELING TERRIBLE. MATTER OF FACT, THE DOCS WITH ME, I ASKED IF THEY DID A COVID TEST, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG. HE DID A TEST TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT I HAD SOME INFECTION, YOU KNOW, A VIRUS. I DIDN'T. HE JUST SAID A REALLY BAD COLD. >> George: AND DID YOU EVER WATCH THE DEBATE AFTERWARDS? >> I DON'T THINK I DID, NO. >> George: WELL, WHAT I WANT TO GET AT IS, WHAT WERE YOU EXPERIENCING AS YOU WERE GOING THROUGH THE DEBATE? DID YOU KNOW HOW BADLY IT WAS GOING? >> YEAH, LOOK. THE WHOLE WAY I PREPARED -- NOBODY'S FAULT, MINE. NOBODY'S FAULT BUT MINE. I -- I PREPARED -- WHAT I USUALLY WOULD DO, SITTING DOWN AS I DID COME BACK WITH FOREIGN LEADERS OR NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL FOR EXPLICIT DETAIL. AND I REALIZED ABOUT PARTWAY THROUGH THAT, YOU KNOW, ALL THE -- THEY QUOTED "THE NEW YORK TIMES" HAD ME DOWN 10 POINTS BEFORE THE DEBATE, 9 NOW OR WHATEVER THE HELL IT IS. THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT WHAT I LOOKED AT IS THAT HE ALSO LIED 28 TIMES. I COULDN'T -- I MEAN, THE WAY THE DEBATE RAN, NOT -- MY FAULT, NOBODY ELSE'S FAULT, NO ONE ELSE'S FAULT -- >> George: IT SEEMED THAT YOU WERE HAVING TROUBLE FROM THE FIRST QUESTION IN, EVEN BEFORE HE SPOKE. >> WELL, I JUST HAD A BAD NIGHT. YOU'VE HAD SOME BAD NIGHTS ONCE IN A WHILE, I CAN'T REMEMBER ANY, BUT I'M SURE YOU DID. >> George: I'VE HAD PLENTY. I GUESS THE QUESTION, THE PROBLEM IS HERE FOR A LOT OF AMERICANS WATCHING THIS, YOU'VE SAID GOING BACK TO 2020, "WATCH ME." TO PEOPLE WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR AGE. AND YOU KNOW, 50 MILLION AMERICANS WATCHED THAT DEBATE. IT SEEMED TO CONFIRM FEARS THEY ALREADY HAD. >> WELL, LOOK. AFTER THAT DEBATE, I DID TEN MAJOR EVENTS IN A ROW, INCLUDING TILL 2:00 IN THE MORNING AFTER THAT DEBATE. I DID EVENTS IN NORTH CAROLINA. I DID EVENTS IN -- IN GEORGIA. DID EVENTS LIKE THIS TODAY. LARGE CROWDS. OVERWHELMING RESPONSE. NO -- NO SLIPPING. AND SO I JUST HAD A BAD NIGHT. I DON'T KNOW WHY. >> George: AND HOW QUICKLY DID IT COME TO YOU THAT YOU WERE HAVING THAT BAD NIGHT? >> WELL, IT CAME TO ME I WAS HAVING A BAD NIGHT WHEN I REALIZED THAT EVEN WHEN I WAS ANSWERING A QUESTION, EVEN THOUGH THEY TURNED HIS MIC OFF, HE WAS STILL SHOUTING. I LET IT DISTRACT ME. I'M NOT BLAMING IT -- I REALIZED THAT I JUST WASN'T IN CONTROL. >> George: PART OF THE OTHER CONCERN IS THAT THIS SEEMS TO HAVE FIT INTO A PATTERN OF DECLINE THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED ON RECENTLY. "NEW YORK TIMES" HAD A HEADLINE ON JULY 2nd, "BIDEN'S LAPSES ARE SAID TO BE INCREASINGLY COMMON AND WORRISOME." HERE'S WHAT THEY WROTE. "PEOPLE WHO HAVE SPENT TIME WITH PRESIDENT BIDEN OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS OR SO SAID THE LAPSES APPEAR TO HAVE GROWN MORE FREQUENT, MORE PRONOUNCED, AND AFTER THURSDAY'S DEBATE, MORE WORRISOME. BY MANY ACCOUNTS, AS EVIDENCED BY VIDEO FOOTAGE, OBSERVATION, AND INTERVIEWS, MR. BIDEN IS NOT THE SAME TODAY AS HE WAS EVEN WHEN HE TOOK OFFICE 3 1/2 YEARS AGO." SIMILAR REPORTING IN "THE WASHINGTON POST" AND THE "WALL STREET JOURNAL." ARE YOU THE SAME MAN TODAY THAT YOU WERE WHEN YOU TOOK OFFICE 3 1/2 YEARS AGO? >> IN TERMS OF SUCCESSES, YES. I ALSO WAS A GUY PUT TOGETHER A PEACE PLAN FOR THE MIDDLE EAST THAT MAY BE COMING INTO FRUITION. I WAS ALSO THE GUY THAT EXPANDED NATO. ALSO THE GUY THAT GREW THE ECONOMY. ALL THE INDIVIDUAL THINGS THAT WERE DONE WERE IDEAS I HAD OR I FULFILLED, I MOVED ON. AND SO, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW -- WELL, THAT WAS TRUE THEN, WHAT'S BIDEN DONE LATELY? JUST TODAY, JUST ANNOUNCED 200,000 NEW JOBS. WE'RE MOVING IN A DIRECTION THAT NO ONE'S EVER TAKEN ON. I KNOW YOU KNOW THIS FROM THE DAYS IN THE -- IN THE GOVERNMENT. I TOOK ON BIG PHARMA, I BEAT THEM. NO ONE THOUGHT I COULD BEAT THEM. I TOOK ON ALL THE THINGS WE SAID WE GOT DONE, WERE TOLD WE COULDN'T GET DONE. PART OF IT IS WHAT I SAID WHEN I RAN WAS, I WANT TO DO THREE THINGS. RESTORE SOME DECENCY TO THE OFFICE. RESTORE SOME SUPPORT FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS INSTEAD OF TRICKLE-DOWN ECONOMICS, BOTH FROM THE MIDDLE OUT AND THE BOTTOM UP, THE WAY THE WEALTHY DO FINE, EVERYONE DOES BETTER. UNITE THE COUNTRY. >> George: WHAT HAS ALL THAT WORK OVER THE LAST 3 1/2 YEARS COST YOU PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY, EMOTIONALLY? >> WELL -- I -- I JUST THINK IT COST ME A REALLY BAD NIGHT. BAD RUN. BUT, YOU KNOW, I -- GEORGE, I HAVE -- I'M OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THIS COUNTRY. I DON'T THINK WE'RE A COUNTRY OF LOSERS AS HE POINTS OUT. I DON'T THINK AMERICA'S IN TOUGH SHAPE. I THINK AMERICA'S ON THE CUSP OF BREAKING THROUGH IN SO MANY INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITIES. THIS NEXT TERM, I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE WE GOT A -- STRAIGHTEN OUT THE TAX SYSTEM. I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE WE'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE HEALTH CARE FOR ALL PEOPLE. WHERE WE'RE IN A POSITION WHERE WE HAVE -- HAVE CHILD CARE AND ELDER CARE. FREE UP -- AND ALL THESE THINGS -- ONE THING I'M PROUDEST OF IS REMEMBER WHEN MY ECONOMIC PLAN WAS PUT FORWARD. A LOT OF THE MAINSTREAM ECONOMISTS SAID IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK. WELL, GUESS WHAT? WE NOW HAVE 16 NOBEL LAUREATES, 16 OF THEM IN ECONOMICS, SAYING BIDEN'S NEXT TERM WOULD BE -- BASED ON WHAT EPTS TO DO, ENORMOUS SUCCESS. TRUMP'S PLAN WOULD CAUSE A RECESSION, SEEING INCREASED INFLATION. I MADE GREAT PROGRESS, AND THAT'S WHAT I PLAN ON DOING. AND WE CAN DO THIS. >> George: I UNDERSTAND THAT, AND I'M NOT DISPUTING THAT. WHAT I'M ASKING YOU IS ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL SITUATION. DO YOU DISPUTE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MORE LAPSES, ESPECIALLY IN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS? >> CAN I RUN 110 FLAT NO. BUT I'M STILL IN GOOD SHAPE. >> George: ARE YOU MORE FRAIL? >> NO. >> George: I KNOW YOU SPOKE -- >> I KEEP MY SCHEDULE. >> George: I KNOW YOU SPOKE WITH YOUR DOCTOR AFTER THE DEBATE. WHAT DID HE SAY? >> HE SAID -- HE JUST LOOKED AT ME. HE SAID, "YOU'RE EXHAUSTED." I SAID -- I HAVE MEDICAL DOCTORS TRAVEL WITH ME EVERYWHERE. EVERY PRESIDENT DOES, AS YOU KNOW. MEDICAL DOCTORS, THE BEST IN THE WORLD TRAVEL WITH ME EVERYWHERE I GO. I HAVE AN ONGOING ASSESSMENT OF WHAT I'M DOING. THEY DON'T HESITATE TO TELL ME IF THEY THINK THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG. >> George: I KNOW YOU SAID YOU HAVE AN ONGOING ASSESSMENT. ARE HAVE YOU HAD A FULL NEWER ROLL AND COGNITIVE EVALUATION? >> I HAVE A FULL NEUROLOGICAL TEST EVERY DAY WITH ME. AND I'VE HAD A FULL PHYSICAL. I HAD -- YOU KNOW, I MEAN -- I'VE BEEN AT WALTER REED FOR MY PHYSICALS. I MEAN -- YES. THE ANSWER IS -- >> George: I KNOW YOUR DOCTOR SAID HE CONSULTED WITH A NEUROLOGIST. I GUESS I'M ASKING A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT QUESTION. HAVE YOU HAD THE SPECIFIC COGNITIVE TESTS, AND HAVE YOU HAD A NEUROLOGIST, A SPECIALIST, DO AN EXAMINATION? >> NO, NO ONE SAID I HAD TO. NO ONE SAID -- THEY SAID I'M GOOD. >> George: WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO UNDERGO AN INDEPENDENT MEDICAL EVALUATION THAT INCLUDED NEUROLOGICAL AND COGNITIVE TESTS AND RELEASE THE RESULTS TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE? >> LOOK. I HAVE A COGNITIVE TEST EVERY SINGLE DAY. EVERY DAY, I'VE HAD TESTS. EVERYTHING I DO. YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY AM I CAMPAIGNING, I'M RUNNING THE WORLD. AND THAT'S NOT -- SOUNDS LIKE HYPERBOLE, BUT WE ARE THE CENTRAL NATION OF THE WORLD. EVERY SINGLE DAY -- FOR EXAMPLE, TODAY, BEFORE I COME OUT HERE, I'M ON THE PHONE WITH -- WITH THE PRIME MINISTER OF -- ANYWAY, I SHOULDN'T GIVE YOU THE DETAIL. BUT WITH NETANYAHU. I'M ON THE PHONE WITH THE NEW PRIME MINISTER OF ENGLAND. I'M WORKING ON WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING WITH REGARD TO -- IN EUROPE WITH REGARD TO EXPANSION OF NATO AND WHETHER IT'S GOING TO STICK. I'M TAKING ON PUTIN. I MEAN, EVERY DAY -- THERE'S NO DAY I GO THROUGH THERE ARE NOT THOSE DECISIONS I HAVE TO MAKE EVERY SINGLE DAY. >> George: AND YOU HAVE BEEN DOING THAT, AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WATCHING, YET THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT YOUR AGE AND YOUR HEALTH ARE GROWING. THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING, TO REASSURE THEM, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO HAVE THE INDEPENDENT MEDICAL EVALUATION? >> WATCH ME BETWEEN -- THERE'S A LOT OF TIME LEFT IN THIS CAMPAIGN. OVER 125 DAYS. >> George: SO THE ANSWER -- >> TO MAKE THE DECISION. >> George: THE ANSWER IS RIGHT NOW, NO, YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THAT? >> WELL, I'VE ALREADY DONE IT. >> George: YOU TALKED A LOT ABOUT YOUR SUCCESSES AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS INTERVIEW. AND I DON'T WANT TO DISPUTE THAT. I DON'T WANT TO DEBATE THAT. BUT AS YOU KNOW, ELECTIONS ARE ABOUT THE FUTURE, NOT THE PAST. THEY'RE ABOUT TOMORROW, NOT YESTERDAY. AND THE QUESTION ON SO MANY PEOPLE'S MINDS RIGHT NOW IS, CAN YOU SERVE EFFECTIVELY FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS? >> GEORGE, I'M THE GUY THAT PUT NATO TOGETHER. THE FUTURE. NO ONE THOUGHT I WOULD EXPAND IT. I'M THE GUY THAT SHUT PUTIN DOWN. NO ONE THOUGHT COULD HAPPEN. I'M THE GUY THAT PUT TOGETHER THE SOUTH PACIFIC INITIATIVE WITH OCAS. I'M THE GUY THAT GOT 50 NATIONS, NOT ONLY IN EUROPE, OUTSIDE EUROPE AS WELL, TO HELP UKRAINE. I'M THE GUY THAT GOT THE JAPANESE TO EXPAND THEIR BUDGET. I'M THE -- SO, I MEAN -- THESE -- AND FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN I DECIDED -- WE USED TO HAVE 40% OF THE COMPUTER SHIP -- WE INVENTED THE CHIP, COMPUTER CHIP. IT'S IN EVERYTHING FROM CELL PHONES TO WEAPONS. WE USED TO HAVE 40%. WE'RE DOWN TO VIRTUALLY NOTHING. SO I GET IN A PLANE AGAINST THE ADVICE OF EVERYBODY AND I FLY TO SOUTH KOREA AND CONVINCE THEM TO INVEST IN THE UNITED STATES. BILLIONS OF DOLLARS. NOW WE HAVE TENS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS BEING INVESTED IN THE UNITED STATES, MAKING US BACK IN A POSITION WE'RE GOING TO OWN THAT INDUSTRY AGAIN. WE HAVE -- I MEAN -- I JUST -- ANYWAY. I DON'T WANT TO TAKE TOO MUCH CREDIT. I HAVE A GREAT STAFF. >> George: BUT ALL THE -- I GUESS MY POINT IS, ALL THAT TAKES A TOLL. DO YOU HAVE THE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL CAPACITY TO DO IT FOR ANOTHER FOUR YEARS? >> PLEASE, I WOULDN'T BE RUNNING IF I DIDN'T THINK I DID. LOOK. I'M RUNNING AGAIN BECAUSE I THINK I UNDERSTAND BEST WHAT HAS TO BE DONE TO TAKE THIS NATION TO A COMPLETELY NEW LEVEL. WE'RE ON OUR WAY. WE'RE ON OUR WAY. HAVE A DECISION RECENTLY MADE BY THE SUPREME COURT ON IMMUNITY. YOU KNOW, THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT WHEN HE OR SHE KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE DOING. IT'S -- IT'S NOT ABOUT A CONGLOMERATE OF PEOPLE MAKING DECISIONS. IT'S ABOUT THE CHARACTER OF THE PRESIDENT. THE CHARACTER OF THE PRESIDENT'S GOING TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THIS CONSTITUTION IS EMPLOYED THE RIGHT WAY. >> George: LET ME ASK YOU A TOUGHER, MORE PERSONAL QUESTION. ARE YOU SURE YOU'RE BEING HONEST WITH YOURSELF WHEN YOU SAY YOU HAVE THE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL CAPACITY TO SERVE ANOTHER FOUR YEARS? >> YES, I AM. BECAUSE GEORGE, LAST THING I WANT TO DO IS NOT BE ABLE TO MEET THAT. I THINK, AS SOME SENIOR ECONOMIST AND SENIOR FOREIGN POLICY SPECIALISTS SAY, IF I STOP NOW, I GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS A PRETTY SUCCESSFUL PRESIDENT. NO ONE THOUGHT I COULD GET DONE WHAT WE GOT DONE. >> George: BUT ARE YOU BEING HONEST WITH YOURSELF AS WELL ABOUT YOUR ABILITY TO DEFEAT DONALD TRUMP RIGHT NOW? >> YES. YES, YES, YES. >> George: YOU SAY THAT, AND LET ME CHALLENGE YOU. >> SURE. >> George: BECAUSE YOU WERE CLOSE BUT BEHIND GOING INTO THE DEBATE. YOU'RE FURTHER BEHIND NOW. BY ANY MEASURE. IT'S BEEN A TWO-MAN RACE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. INFLATION HAS COME DOWN. IN THOSE LAST FEW MONTHS, HE'S BECOME A CONVICTED FELON. YET YOU'RE STILL FALLING FURTHER BEHIND. >> YOU GUYS KEEP SAYING THAT. GEORGE, LOOK, YOU KNOW POLLING BETTER THAN ANYBODY. YOU THINK POLLING DATA IS ACCURATE AS IT USED TO BE? >> George: I DON'T THINK SO, BUT I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL THE POLLING DATA RIGHT NOW, IT SHOWS THAT HE'S CERTAINLY AHEAD IN THE POPULAR VOTE. PROBABLY EVEN MORE AHEAD IN THE BATTLEGROUND STATES. AND ONE OF THE OTHER KEY FACTORS THERE IS IT SHOWS THAT IN MANY OF THE BATTLEGROUND STATES, THE DEMOCRATS WHO ARE RUNNING FOR SENATE AND THE HOUSE ARE DOING BETTER THAN YOU ARE. >> THAT'S NOT UNUSUAL. SOME STATES, I CARRIED AN AWFUL LOT OF DEMOCRATS THE LAST TIME I RAN IN 2020. LOOK, I REMEMBER THEM TELLING ME THE SAME THING IN 2020. I CAN'T WIN, THE POLLS SHOW I CAN'T WIN. 2024 -- 2020 THE RED WAVE WAS COMING. BEFORE THE VOTE I SAID, THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, WE'RE GOING TO WIN. WE DID BETTER IN AN OFF YEAR THAN ALMOST ANY INCUMBENT PRESIDENT EVER HAS DONE. THEY SAID IN 2023, ALL THE TOUGH RACES, WE'RE NOT GOING TO WIN. I WENT INTO ALL THOSE AREAS, ALL THOSE -- ALL THOSE DISTRICTS, AND WE WON. >> George: ALL THAT IS TRUE. BUT 2020 WAS A CLOSE RACE. AND YOUR APPROVAL RATING HAS DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE THEN. I THINK THE LAST POLL I SAW WAS ABOUT 36%. THE NUMBER OF AMERICANS WHO THINK YOU'RE TOO OLD TO SERVE HAS DOUBLED SINCE 2020. WOULDN'T A CLEAR-EYED CALCULUS TELL YOU IT'S GOING TO BE MUCH TOUGHER TO WIN IN 2024? >> NOT WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING AGAINST A PATHOLOGICAL LIAR. NOT WHEN HE HASN'T BEEN CHALLENGED IN THE WAY HE'S ABOUT TO BE CHALLENGED. >> George: YOU'VE HAD MONTHS TO CHALLENGE HIM. >> SURE I HAVE, BUT I'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF THE OTHER THINGS, LIKE WARS AROUND THE WORLD, LIKE KEEPING NATO WORKING, LIKE WORKING -- ANYWAY. BUT LOOK -- >> George: DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE YOU'RE NOT BEHIND RIGHT NOW? >> I THINK -- ALL POLLSTERS I TALK TO TELL ME IT'S A TOSS-UP. IT'S A TOSS-UP. AND WHEN I'M BEHIND -- THERE'S ONLY ONE POLL I'M REALLY FAR BEHIND, CBS POLL, AND THE -- EXCUSE ME. AND -- >> George: "NEW YORK TIMES" AND NBC BOTH HAVE YOU ABOUT 6 POINTS BEHIND IN THE POPULAR VOTE. >> THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. "NEW YORK TIMES" HAD ME BEHIND BEFORE AND DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS RACE. BEHIND 10 POINTS. 10 POINTS, THEY HAD ME BEHIND. NOTHING'S CHANGED SUBSTANTIALLY SINCE THE DEBATE IN "THE NEW YORK TIMES" POLL. >> George: WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE REALITY THOUGH, MR. PRESIDENT, I MEAN -- YOU WON THE POPULAR VOTE IN 2020. BUT IT WAS STILL DEADLY CLOSE IN THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE -- >> 7 MILLION VOTES. >> George: YES, BUT YOU'RE BEHIND NOW IN THE POPULAR VOTE. >> I DON'T -- I DON'T BUY THAT. >> George: IS IT WORTH THE RISK? >> I DON'T THINK ANYBODY'S MORE QUALIFIED TO BE PRESIDENT OR WIN THIS RACE THAN ME. >> George: YOU KNOW, THE HEART OF YOUR CASE AGAINST DONALD TRUMP IS THAT HE'S ONLY OUT FOR HIMSELF. PUTTING HIS PERSONAL INTERESTS AHEAD OF THE NATIONAL INTEREST. HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO CRITICS WHO SAY THAT BY STAYING IN THE RACE, YOU'RE DOING THE SAME THING? >> OH, COME ON. I DON'T THINK THOSE CRITICS KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT. >> George: THEY'RE JUST WRONG? >> THEY'RE JUST WRONG. LOOK. TRUMP IS A PATHOLOGICAL LIAR. TRUMP IS -- HE IS -- YOU EVER SEEN ANYTHING TRUMP DID THAT BENEFITED SOMEBODY ELSE, NOT HIM? YOU CAN'T ANSWER, I KNOW. >> George: I'VE QUESTIONED HIM AND HIS ALLIES AS PERSISTENTLY AS ANY JOURNALIST HAS. >> I KNOW YOU HAVE, I'M NOT BEING CRITICAL. I'M NOT BEING CRITICAL. BUT LOOK. I MEAN -- THE MAN IS A CONGENITAL LIAR. AS I SAID, THEY POINTED OUT IN THAT DEBATE, HE LIED 27, 28 TIMES, WHATEVER NUMBER, OVER 20 TIMES. TALK ABOUT HOW GOOD HIS ECONOMY WAS, HOW HE BROUGHT DOWN INFLATION, HOW -- THIS IS A GUY WHO UNLIKE ALL THE OTHER PRESIDENTS OTHER THAN HIM, HOOVER LOST MORE JOBS THAN HE CREATED. THIS IS A GUY WHO TOLD US TO PUT BLEACH IN OUR ARMS TO DEAL WITH COVID, OVER A MILLION PEOPLE DIED. THIS IS A GUY WHO TALKS ABOUT WANTING TO GET RID OF THE HEALTH CARE PROVISION WE PUT IN PLACE. THIS IS A GUY WHO WANTS TO GIVE THE POWER BACK TO BIG PHARMA, TO BE ABLE TO CHARGE EXORBITANT PRICES FOR DRUGS. THIS IS A GUY WHO WANTS TO UNDO EVERY SINGLE THING I'VE DONE. >> George: I UNDERSTAND THAT. I UNDERSTAND THAT'S WHY YOU WANT TO STAY IN THE RACE. HAVE YOU CONVINCED YOURSELF ONLY YOU CAN DEFEAT HIM? >> I'VE CONVINCED MYSELF OF TWO THINGS. I'M THE MOST QUALIFIED PERSON TO BEAT HIM, AND I KNOW HOW TO GET THINGS DONE. >> George: IF YOU CAN BE CONVINCED THAT YOU CANNOT DEFEAT DONALD TRUMP, WILL YOU STAND DOWN? >> IT DEPENDS. IF THE LORD ALMIGHTY HIMSELF COMES DOWN WITH THAT, I MIGHT DO THAT. >> George: ON A MORE PRACTICAL LEVEL, "WASHINGTON POST" JUST RECORDED IN THE LAST HOUR SENATOR MARK WARNER IS ASSEMBLING A GROUP OF SENATORS TOGETHER TO TRY TO CONVINCE YOU TO STAND DOWN BECAUSE THEY DON'T THINK YOU CAN WIN. >> WELL, MAY IS A GOOD MAN. WE'VE NEVER HAD THAT -- HE ALSO TRIED TO GET THE NOMINATION TOO. MARK'S NOT -- MARK AND I HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE. I RESPECT HIM. >> George: AND IF CHUCK SCHUMER AND HAKEEM JEFFRIES AND NANCY PELOSI COME DOWN AND SAY, WE'RE WORRIED THAT IF YOU STILL IN THE RACE, WIRE GOING TO LOSE THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE? HOW WILL YOU RESPOND? >> I -- I'D GO INTO DETAIL WITH THEM. I'VE SPEAKN TO ALL OF THEM IN DETAIL, INCLUDING JIM CLIMBER, THEY ALL SAID, STAY IN THE RACE. STAY IN THE RACE. NONE OF THE PEOPLE SAID I SHOULD LEAVE -- >> George: BUT IF THEY DO? >> IT'S LIKE -- THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT. >> George: YOU'RE SURE? >> YEAH, I'M SURE. LOOK. I MEAN -- IF THE LORD ALMIGHTY CAME DOWN AND SAID, JOE, GET OUT OF THE RACE, I'D GET OUT OF THE RACE. THE LORD ALMIGHTY'S NOT COMING DOWN. THESE HYPOTHETICALS, GEORGE, IF -- I MEAN, IF ALL -- >> George: IT'S NOT THAT HYPOTHETICAL ANYMORE. I GRANT THAT THEY HAVE NOT REQUESTED THE MEETING. BUT IT'S BEEN REPORTED -- >> I HAVE MET WITH THEM. I'VE MET WITH A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE. I'VE TALKED WITH THEM REGULARLY. I HAD AN HOUR CONVERSATION WITH HAKEEM. I HAD MORE TIME -- JIM CLYBURN. I SPENT MANY HOURS OFF AND ON THE LAST LITTLE BIT. WITH CHUCK SCHUMER. IT'S NOT LIKE -- I HAD ALL THE GOVERNORS. ALL THE GOVERNORS. >> George: I AGREE THAT THE LORD ALMIGHTY IS NOT GOING TO COME DOWN. BUT IF -- IF YOU ARE TOLD RELIABLY FROM YOUR ALLIES, FROM OUR FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, IN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE, THAT THEY'RE CONCERNED YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE IF YOU STAY IN, WHAT WILL YOU DO? >> I'M NOT GOING TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION. IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. >> George: WHAT'S YOUR PLAN TO TURN THE CAMPAIGN AROUND? >> YOU SAW TODAY. HOW MANY -- HOW MANY PEOPLE CRITERIA CROWDS LIKE I DO TODAY? YOU FIND ANY MORE ENTHUSIASTIC THAN TODAY? HUH? >> George: I MEAN, I DON'T THINK YOU WANT TO PLAY THE CROWD GAME. DONALD TRUMP CAN DRAW BIG CROWDS, THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT. >> YOU CAN DRAW A BIG CROWD, BUT WHAT DOES HE SAY, WHO DOES HE HAVE? I'M THE GUY SUPPOSEDLY IN TROUBLE. WE RAISED $38 MILLION WINCE FOUR D WITHIN FOUR DAYS AFTER THIS -- HAVE OVER A MILLION INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTORS. INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTORS. LESS THAN 200 BUCKS. I MEAN, I'VE NOT SEEN WHAT YOU'RE -- WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING. >> George: YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE FALL-OFF IN THE POLLS, YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE REPORTS OF DISCONTENT IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, HOUSE DEMOCRATS, SENATE DEMOCRATS? >> I'VE SEEN IT FROM THE PRESS. >> George: YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD FROM DOZENS OF YOUR SUPPORTERS OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS, A VARIETY OF VIEW, I GRANT YOU THAT. BUT THE PREVAILING SENTIMENT IS THIS. THEY LOVE YOU. AND THEY WILL BE FOREVER GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR DEFEATING DONALD TRUMP IN 2020. THEY THINK YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB AS PRESIDENT. A LOT OF SUCCESSES YOU OUTLINED. BUT THEY ARE WORRIED ABOUT YOU AND THE COUNTRY, AND THEY DON'T THINK YOU CAN WIN. THEY WANT YOU TO GO WITH GRACE, AND THEY WILL CHEER YOU IF YOU DO. WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THAT? >> I SAY THE VAST MAJORITY ARE NOT WHERE THAT -- THOSE FOLKS ARE. I DON'T DOUBT THERE'S SOME FOLKS THERE. HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A GROUP IN TIME WHEN ELECTED OFFICIALS RUNNING FOR OFFICE AREN'T A LITTLE WORRIED? I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT, I'VE NOT. SAME THING HAPPENED, 2020. "OH, BIDEN, I DON'T KNOW, MAN, WHAT'S HE GOING TO DO? HE MAY BRING ME DOWN, HE MAY --" >> George: MR. PRESIDENT, I'VE NEVER SEEN A PRESIDENT OF 36% APPROVAL GET RE-ELECTED. >> I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S MY APPROVAL RATE. THAT'S NOT WHAT OUR POLLS SHOW. >> George: AND IF YOU STAY IN AND TRUMP IS ELECTED AND EVERYTHING YOU'RE WARNING ABOUT COMES TO PASS, HOW WILL YOU FEEL IN JANUARY? >> I'LL FEEL, AS LONG AS I GAVE IT MY ALL, AND I DID AS GOOD A JOB AS I KNOW I CAN DO, THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT. LOOK, GEORGE. THINK OF IT THIS WAY. YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY THIS BEFORE. I THINK THE UNITED STATES AND THE WORLD'S AT AN INFLECTION POINT. WHEN THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS ARE GOING TO DETERMINE WHAT THE NEXT SIX, SEVEN DECADES LOOK LIKE. AND WHO'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO HOLD NATO TOGETHER LIKE ME? WHO'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE IN A POSITION WHERE I'M ABLE TO KEEP THE PACIFIC BASIN IN A POSITION WHERE -- WHICH AT LEAST CHECKMATING CHINA NOW? WHO'S GOING TO -- WHO'S GOING TO DO THAT? WHO HAS THAT REACH? WHO HAS -- WHO KNOWS ALL THESE -- WE'RE GOING TO HAVE -- I GUESS A GOOD WAY TO JUDGE ME IS YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE NOW THE NATO CONFERENCE IN THE UNITED STATES NEXT WEEK. COME LISTEN. SEE WHAT THEY SAY. >> George: MR. PRESIDENT, THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. >> THANK YOU. >> George: ABC NEWS ALSO OFFERED A ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEW TO DONALD TRUMP AFTER THE DEBATE. HE DECLINED. LET'S BRING IN OUR POLITICAL TEAM FOR WHAT THEY'RE HEARING. LET ME START WITH OUR CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT, JON KARL. AND JON, YOU WATCHED -- YOU WATCHED THE INTERVIEW, YOU'VE BEEN TALKING TO PEOPLE ALL ACROSS WASHINGTON. WHAT ARE YOU HEARING? >> WELL, GEORGE, LOOK. BIDEN LOOKED BETTER AND CERTAINLY MORE COHERENT THAN I THAN HE LOOKED IN THE DEBATE ABOUT IT THERE IS NOTHING IN THIS INTERVIEW THAT IS CALMING NERVES OF JITTERY DEMOCRATS WHO FEAR THAT JOE BIDEN IS ON A TRAJECTORY TO LOSE THIS RACE, TO LOSE TO DONALD TRUMP. IN FACT, FOR SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE, THE INTERVIEW IS RAISING NEW CONCERNS. PARTICULARLY THE FACT THAT HE IS UNWILLING OR UNAWARE OF THE FACT THAT HE IS IN A DIRE SITUATION HERE REGARDING THE CAMPAIGN. THAT HE IS LOSING, IN THE VIEW OF MANY DEMOCRATS, AND FRANKLY, IN THE POLLS YOU CITED, THAT HE IS LOSING TO DONALD TRUMP. AND THERE WAS ONE QUESTION THAT YOU ASKED WHERE HIS ANSWER IS PARTICULARLY, I BELIEVE, ALARMING TO SOME OF THOSE DEMOCRATS. YOU ASKED HIM HOW HE WILL FEEL IN JANUARY IF HE HAS LOST TO DONALD TRUMP AND ALL THAT HE HAS WARNED WOULD HAPPEN CAME TO PASS, AND THIS WAS HIS ANSWER. HE SAID, "I'LL FEEL, AS LONG AS I GAVE IT MY ALL AND DID THE BEST JOB I KNOW I CAN DO, THAT THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT." ONE PROMINENT ALLY OF THE PRESIDENT SIMPLY RESPONDED TO ME, "WOW" WHEN I ASKED ABOUT THAT QUESTION. SO THE BOTTOM LINE HERE, THERE WAS NOTHING IN THIS INTERVIEW THAT WILL FORCE JOE BIDEN OUT OF THE RACE. THERE WAS NO, YOU KNOW, MAJOR THING THAT WILL CONVINCE HIM OR ANY OF HIS ALLIES, I BELIEVE, THEY HAVE TO GO. BUT THERE'S ALSO NOTHING IN THIS INTERVIEW THAT WILL CALM THE NERVES OF DEMOCRATS WHO ARE SAYING IT IS TIME FOR HIM TO GET OUT. >> George: MARTHA RADDATZ, THE PRESIDENT IS TALKING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE, BUT HE APPEARS TO BE LISTENING TO A VERY TIGHT CIRCLE? >> A VERY TIGHT CIRCLE. AND ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS I HAVE SPOKEN TO SAID THAT VERY TIGHT INNER CIRCLE IS TELLING THEM HE CAN WIN THAT HE NEEDS TO KEEP GOING. THIS, OF COURSE, INCLUDES HIS WIFE, JILL, WHO THEY SAID IS LASHING OUT AT THOSE WHO WANT HIM TO GET OUT OF THE RACE. THIS WAS A JOE BIDEN PUMPED UP ON HIS INNER CIRCLE TELLING HIM THAT AGAIN AND AGAIN. THEY THINK HE WILL HAVE MANY OPPORTUNITIES, BUT THOSE NOT IN THE INNER CIRCLE SAY THIS WILL ALSO EXPOSE HIM TO A GREAT DEAL OF RISK. AND GEORGE, I'VE TALKED TO A FEW PEOPLE TOO, TEXTING WITH A FEW PEOPLE AS WELL ON THE HILL. THEY SAY IT WAS BETTER THAN THEY EXPECTED, WASN'T AS BAD AS THEY EXPECTED, BUT THAT'S A PRETTY LOW BAR, GEORGE. >> George: AND MARY BRUCE, WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM THE WHITE HOUSE? >> GEORGE, THE WHITE HOUSE TONIGHT REACTING IN ONE WORD, "STRONG." LOOK, YOU HEARD THE PRESIDENT THERE. AND HIS TEAM STRONGLY DO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS ALL BEING OVERBLOWN, THAT JOE BIDEN HAS BEEN UNDERESTIMATED AND WRITTEN OFF BEFORE ONLY TO COME BACK STRONG AND WIN. THEY BELIEVE IF HE CAN CONTINUE TO DO INTERVIEWS LIKE THIS, IF HE CAN CONTINUE TO GET OUT IN FRONT OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THAT THIS TOO SHALL PASS. BUT THE PRESIDENT THERE TRULY DIDN'T SEEM TO GRASP THE SEVERITY OF THIS MOMENT. THE MAGNITUDE OF THAT GROWING CHORUS OF CONCERN FROM DEMOCRATS. HE DISMISSED THAT, DISMISSED THE TRENDS THAT WE ARE SEEING IN THE FO POLLS. WHAT WE ARE HEARING FROM DEMOCRATS ISN'T CONCERN ABOUT ONE BAD NIGHT. THEY ARE CONCERNED THAT JOE BIDEN DOESN'T HAVE WHAT IT TAKES NOT ONLY TO CONTINUE GOVERNING BUT THAT HE HAS WHAT IT TAKES TO WIN. THE PRESIDENT IS ADAMANT THAT HE IS STILL THE BEST ONE TO TAKE ON DONALD TRUMP. YOU HEARD THERE, HE CLEARLY DOESN'T WANT TO ENTERTAIN THE POSSIBILITY THAT DEMOCRATS MAY COME TO HIM AND URGE HIM TO STEP ASIDE, SAYING ONLY THE LORD ALMIGHTY COULD CONVINCE HIM OF THAT, GEORGE. >> George: AND THAT IS THE KEY QUESTION RIGHT NOW. SO I WANT TO GO TO OUR SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT, RACHEL SCOTT. THE MOST IMPORTANT AUDIENCE PROBABLY RIGHT NOW FOR THE PRESIDENT AND THE WHITE HOUSE ARE THOSE DEMOCRATIC LEADERS ON CAPITOL HILL, AND THERE HAS BEEN SOME FERMENT IN THE LAST COUPLE OF HOURS? >> EXACTLY, GEORGE. AND THEY WERE WATCHING TONIGHT, I CAN TELL YOU THAT. IN FACT, JUST MINUTES BEFORE YOUR INTERVIEW AIRED, YOU HAD A FOURTH DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKER COME FORWARD IN THE HOUSE AND CALL ON THE PRESIDENT TO STEP ASIDE. THAT WAS CONGRESSMAN MIKE QUIGLEY OF ILLINOIS. I HAVE TALKED TO A NUMBER OF DEMOCRATS THAT WERE GLUED IN, WATCHING THIS INTERVIEW. ONE DEMOCRATIC SENATOR TELLING ME THAT THE PRESIDENT IS CLEAR-EYED ABOUT THE DEMANDS OF THE PRESIDENCY, THE URGENCY OF THE MOMENT, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF DEFEATING DONALD TRUMPS. BUT OTHERS SAY THEY STILL HAVE CONCERNS, THAT THE DAM HADN'T BROKEN TONIGHT BUT THE BLEEDING HASN'T STOPPED EITHER. ANOTHER TELLING ME BETTER, BUT THEY'RE NOT SURE IT'S ENOUGH, THEY NEED MORE THAN ONE INTERVIEW, MORE THAN 22 MINUTES TO PROVE THE PRESIDENT HAS THE STAMINA TO CONTINUE IN THIS RACE AND DEFEAT DONALD TRUMP. A DIFFERENT DEMOCRAT PUTTING IT TO ME THIS WAY, "THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT BIDEN MUST WIN THE ELECTION, BUT HE WILL NOT BE IN A POSITION TO STOP A MOVEMENT." AND TONIGHT, GEORGE THAT MOVEMENT AGAINST HIM IS GROWING. >> George: THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO GET INTO WITH JON KARL IN A LITTLE MORE DETAIL. JON, WE TALKED ABOUT MARK WARNER, SENATOR FROM VIRGINIA, A BATTLEGROUND STATE THAT DEMOCRATS HAVE WON THE PAST FEW ELECTIONS BUT APPEARS TO BE MORE IN PLAY RIGHT NOW. HE'S CIRCULATING THAT LETTER. >> YEAH, AND I'VE SPOKEN TO COLLEAGUES OF SENATOR WARNER'S WHO HAVE SPOKEN TO HIM ABOUT THIS. IT'S A SERIOUS EFFORT. SENATOR WARNER'S CONCERNS, HE HAS REAL CONCERNS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT BIDEN CAN BEAT DONALD TRUMP. HE THINKS IT'S COME TO A PIVOTAL MOMENT FOR THE PARTY AND FOR THE NATION. AND HIS CONCERNS ARE NOT ALONE. FRANKLY, A LOT OF OTHER DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN UNWILLING TO SPEAK PUBLICLY BECAUSE THEY WANT BIDEN TO COME TO THIS ON HIS OWN, AND THEY'RE CONCERNED THAT COMING OUT AND SPEAKING PUBLICLY WILL ONLY BACKFIRE. BUT IT AS WIDESPREAD FEELING AMONG DEMOCRATS -- >> George: AND RACHEL SCOTT, HAKEEM JEFFRIES, THE DEMOCRATIC LEADER IN THE HOUSE, HAS CALLED HOUSE DEMOCRATS FOR A ZOOM MEETING ON SUNDAY? >> AND THIS WILL BE COMING RIGHT BEFORE DEMOCRATS HEAD BACK TO CAPITOL HILL. THAT IS GOING TO BE PIVOTAL. I'M TOLD THAT THE DEMOCRATIC LEADER HAS BEEN MEASURED IN HIS APPROACH, REALLY TRYING TO CALM THE NERVES AND GIVE THE PRESIDENT THE SPACE TO MAKE THIS DECISION. BUT HE IS GETTING QUITE AN EARFUL FROM HOUSE DEMOCRATS WHO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT IF THE PRESIDENT CAN DEFEAT DONALD TRUMP THIS NOVEMBER, GEORGE. >> George: MARY BRUCE, YOU HAD THAT ONE-WORD RESPONSE FROM THE WHITE HOUSE. THE CAMPAIGN WEIGHING IN NOW AS WELL? >> GEORGE, THE CAMPAIGN UNDERSTANDABLY IS EAGER TO TURN THIS BACK TO DONALD TRUMP AND BACK TO THE ISSUES. LOOK, THEIR THINKING ON ALL OF THIS IS THAT THIS SHOULDN'T BE ABOUT PERFORMANCE, THAT THIS IS ABOUT THE ISSUES AND THE SUBSTANCE. THEY WANT -- AS THE PRESIDENT TRIED TO DO THERE IN YOUR INTERVIEW, THEM TO HAMMER WHAT THE PRESIDENT HAS ACCOMPLISHED, WHAT HE COULD DO GOING FORWARD. AND ARE OBVIOUSLY VERY EAGER TO MAKE SURE TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT IS AT STAKE HERE. THE CHALLENGE IS THAT SO MUCH OF THAT HAS NOW BEEN OVERSHADOWED BY THESE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PRESIDENT'S AGE, AND THAT IS WHAT DEMOCRATS ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT. THAT THE MESSAGING HERE IS BEING LOST IN THE WAY IT IS BEING DELIVERED. THE QUESTION IS WHETHER OR NOT THE PRESIDENT'S INTERVIEW TONIGHT, WHETHER OR NOT HIS APPEARANCES THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE LAST FEW DAYS AND WILL SEE IN THE DAYS TO COME, WHETHER THAT IS GOING TO BE ENOUGH TO QUELL ANY OF THIS CONCERN AND GET DEMOCRATS BACK ON TRACK. >> George: THE FACT THAT ALL OF US FACE, MARTHA RADDATZ, WE CAN'T STOP THE CLOCK. >> NO ONE CAN STOP THE CLOCK. THIS IS ABOUT AGE, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THIS IS ABOUT. AGING IS NOT LIKE A BROKEN BONE. IT DOESN'T GET BETTER. SO THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY EVERY TIME HE GOES OUT, EVERY TIME JOE BIDEN GOES OUT, THAT HE WILL SHOW HIS AGE. I MEAN, HE SAID HE IS NOT MORE FRAIL. YOU ASKED HIM. YOU TOLD HIM, YOU SAY, "WATCH ME, EVERYONE IS WATCHING," AND BELIEVE ME, THEY ARE GOING TO BE WATCHING EVEN MORE CLOSELY AS WE GO FORWARD, GEORGE. >> George: THANKS TO ALL OF YOU. THANKS TO PRESIDENT BIDEN FOR HIS TIM >>> ONE ON ONE WITH PRESIDENT BIDEN. HERE AGAIN, GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS. >> George: AND OUR COVERAGE CONTINUES ON ABC NEWS LIVE, ON ABCNEWS.COM. THERE WILL BE MORE ON YOUR LATE LOCAL NEWS ON "NIGHTLINE," AND "GOOD MORNING AMERICA." AND OF COURSE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE INTERVIEW AGAIN ON SUNDAY ON "THIS WEEK" ALONG WITH
