MILWAUKEE — President Biden repeatedly scolded NBC anchor Lester Holt in an interview Monday — exclaiming at one point, “What’s with you guys? Come on, man!”
The 81-year-old president lashed out when Holt pressed him on his confused June 27 debate performance and bristled when the journalist asked him about criticism of him from former President Donald Trump’s running mate J.D. Vance.
“Are you seeing what [viewers] saw, which was moments of frankly, that appeared to be — you appeared to be confused?” Holt asked the president.
“Lester, look, why don’t you guys ever talk about the 18, the 28 lies he told? Where are you on this? Why didn’t the press ever talk about that? 28 times it’s confirmed he lied in that debate,” Biden exclaimed.
“Seriously, you won’t answer the question, but why didn’t the press talk about all the lies he told? I haven’t heard anything about that.”
When Holt protested, “We have reported many of the issues,” Biden interjected, “No you haven’t! No you haven’t! God love you.”
Later, Biden raised the fact that Vance, an Ohio Republican senator, had criticized Trump in 2016.
“Well, he said something about you,” Holt replied.
“He said some things about me, but see what he said about Trump. What’s up with you guys? Come on, man,” Biden chided.
Biden concluded the interview with another lecture.
“Sometimes come and talk to me about what we should be talking about. Okay? The issues,” the commander in chief signed off
“Always happy to talk,” Holt sheepishly replied
Earlier in the interview, Biden said that it’s an “open question” whether the Secret Service failed in its duties to protect Trump before he was shot Saturday in an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania.
“I feel safe with the Secret Service,” the 81-year-old president told NBC anchor Lester Holt in an interview.
“Should they have anticipated what happened? … That’s an open question,” Biden said when questioned about the performance of the presidential protection agency.
Biden said that security concerns recently have prevented him from glad-handing supporters.
“I like to meet people … it’s really curtailed that ability on my part,” Biden said.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.