During a Tuesday night fundraiser in McLean, Virginia — just 10 miles outside of Washington, DC — President Joe Biden "expressed confidence as he downplayed his debate night struggles," according to The Washington Post.
“I know I didn’t have my best debate night,” the president said, the Post reports, highlighting "the $38 million his campaign has raised since the debate." Biden added, "So far so good. I’m feeling good about what’s happening."
Then, Washington Post White House reporter Matt Viser took to social media, reporting: "'I wasn’t very smart,' President Biden says in McLean. 'I decided to travel around the world a couple times, going through I don’t know how many time zones — for real I think it 15 time zones...I didn’t listen to my staff.' 'And then I came back and nearly fell asleep on stage.'"
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Several reporters didn't buy the presidents claim — and brought receipts to confirm why.
CNN senior reporter Andy Kaczynski replied: "The debate was 12 days after he got back."
Likewise, National Review senior political correspondent Jim Geraghty added: Biden returned from his overseas trip June 15. The debate was June 27.
New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof commented: It's unhelpful for the White House to offer excuses that are simply unconvincing. The president was back from Europe 12 days before the debate and spent a week at Camp David preparing for it. I don't know what happened in the debate, but it wasn't jet lag.
Former White House correspondent Ron Fournier said: "When you’re in a hole, @JoeBiden, stop digging."
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