The Republican National Committee took swings at former Vice President Joe Biden’s comment last week.
Oddly enough, he’s singled out Senate Democrats.
The question came up Friday during NBC’s “Meet the Press” when host Chuck Todd asked Biden if there would be a political fight with Clinton if he were to run in 2020:
“I haven’t said there won’t be,” Biden said. “The fact is, Hillary got carried away with her own euphoria of what happened, and it looked too good to be true.”
Biden’s comment made headlines and sparked some doubt. So he and Todd had a lengthy, back-and-forth discussion, with Todd doing some heavy lifting as the interviewer.
“That was prematurely declared independence from the virus that is now constantly on your brain, that is now eating into and destroying those who love you so much,” Todd said.
“That is an absolutely accurate assessment, Chuck,” Biden answered. “I wasn’t thinking about 2020 at the time, because I was responding to the outpouring of people who had to be rescued or were forced to be rescued because of what happened at the border, and if you remember, the headlines at the time when I said this, they were kind of beyond description.
“I was thinking of my family at the time, because we did try to save them, we did try to save the migrants who had already been there, we did try to save the citizens of the United States who are in the caravan who had to go through that.”
Watch Biden discuss his remarks in the clip above.
Todd’s question and answer had come up after Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller had filed another blockbuster document on the Russia investigation, this time detailing arrangements the Trump campaign made with Russia to ingratiate themselves with Russians to obtain damaging information about Hillary Clinton ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
Todd pressed Biden on the issue: “It’s going to be a difficult question to answer if you’re thinking about another run for the presidency — why not look at the new Mueller disclosure? Why did you miss that?”
Biden said he’s just thinking about the people he helped.
Todd pressed him on his own answer, saying, “What kind of answer would you give as to why the Trump campaign made those contacts?”
“My answer is that I don’t know what the contacts were, or if they were contacts,” Biden said. “I saw one tweet, it said Steve Bannon said it was made in exchange for stolen material.”
Later in the discussion, Todd pressed him on the matter again, suggesting: “If you are looking over your shoulder, in the future, how do you hope the FBI decides to treat you if you decide to run for president?”
Biden responded: “Well, here’s what I think, Chuck: If I ran for president, there would be almost a riot in the streets of the Republican Party, because I know what I can do.”
Todd cut him off again: “Then I wonder, what on earth is going through your mind?”
Biden again said he’s thinking about the people, not what may or may not happen next.
“If I were to run, I’d run as Joe Biden, that’s what I’d do,” he said. “I have no desire to run for president as Joe Biden. I would have far more energy for the struggle of the American people. And I am intent on doing that.
“But my focus is on doing that for the 1.3 million veterans and 1.5 million active-duty troops who are struggling on this planet in a time of war. That is my fight, and if we fail, I will not pretend I didn’t try.”
Todd’s interview with Biden did not get attention on Twitter.
Dishonorable mention: President Obama, President Trump, and the Department of Justice. — Roger Stone (@RogerJStoneJr) March 2, 2019