Biden says he spent too much time on policy, not enough on politics
President Biden said that he spent too much time on policy and not enough time on politics while reflecting on his presidency in his final interview just days away from leaving office.
Biden sat down with MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell on Thursday after he gave his farewell address to the nation the night before.
O’Donnell asked about Biden saying last month that it was stupid of him to not sign the COVID-19 stimulus checks that went out early in his administration, after President-elect Trump put his name on checks during his first term. He asked Biden if it crossed his mind to sign his name.
“It did cross my mind. But the mistake we made was, I think I made, was not getting our allies to acknowledge that the Democrats did this,” he said.
“Ironically, I almost spent too much time on the policy, not enough time on the politics,” Biden added. “Because, I mean… you have some senators in Congress, Democratic senators in Congress saying, ‘Well, you know, Joe Biden did this, and this is done by so and so and so and so and this is the new, you know, built by the Democratic Party kind of thing.’”
The president said that while people should know who is responsible for assistance, like the COVID-19 stimulus checks, he considers boasting to be rude.
“Let people know who was responsible for this happening. But it just seems, I know it sounds so stupid to say it, almost bad taste,” Biden told MSNBC.
Biden said in a December speech at the Brookings Institution that he learned something from Trump, which was that he signed checks for people and it was “stupid” that he didn’t.
In the MSNBC interview, Biden was also asked about his farewell address, which struck a dark tone as the president warned against an oligarchy forming in the U.S. and he called for a constitutional amendment to ensure presidents would not be immune from prosecution for crimes committed in office.
Biden told O’Donnell that there wasn’t a release of a burden when he finished his remarks Wednesday night, but said there was a sense of “serious concern.”
“I really am concerned about how fragile democracy is. That sounds corny. But I mean, I really, really am concerned, because you've heard me say it 100 times, I really think we're in an inflection point in history here,” Biden said. “There's a presidency that says you have really limited powers. I mean, you're the top dog, but you can't dictate everything. And I don't know, they seem to just be chipping away at all those elements.”
The president is set to leave office on Monday when Trump is sworn in. Biden opted to run for reelection but dropped his bid in July among concerns over his age and stamina, endorsing Vice President Harris, who lost to Trump in November.
Topics
-
Do Indians work too much?
An executive in the country has gone viral for saying workers should be in the office on SundaysFinancial Times - 1d -
DoubleLine’s Gundlach says the Fed looks like Mr. Magoo, focuses too much on 'short-termism'
"CPI month-over-month change has got the Fed zig-zagging," Gundlach said.CNBC - 1d -
Hideo Kojima Says His New Game Is Now In "Crunch Time," Wonders How Much Longer He Can Stay Creative
Between Death Stranding 2: On The Beach , Physint, and OD, Hideo Kojima is a very busy developer and keenly aware that time is catching up to him. On X/Twitter, Kojima explained how he'd like to ...GameSpot - 3d -
Sixers' Paul George says he gets 'bored' defending centers: 'It just don't do enough for me'
George said that he enjoys fighting around screens and guarding wingsCBS Sports - 5d -
Nick Frost: ‘I’d like to say sorry to my mum. She was an alcoholic and I spent a lot of time hating her’
The actor and comedian on being a people-pleaser, the benefits of looking after himself, and his celebrity crush. Born in London, Nick Frost, 52, was working in a restaurant when he met Simon Pegg ...The Guardian - 6d -
U.S. Declares Genocide in Sudan. Critics Say Biden Acted Too Late.
Tens of thousands of people have been killed in months of fighting that has led to a famine.The Wall Street Journal - Jan. 9 -
Biden says he could've beaten Trump in November
President Biden said early Wednesday that he thinks he would have beaten President-elect Trump if he stuck with his reelection bid in an interview with USA Today. “It’s presumptuous to say that, ...The Hill - Jan. 8 -
Trump claims a mandate, but he won’t have much time to fulfill it
The vanquished party is always one election away from redemption.The Hill - Jan. 1
More from The Hill
-
Eric Adams to meet with Trump ahead of his inauguration
New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) is set to meet with President-elect Trump in Florida on Friday just days ahead of Trump's inauguration next week, according to Adams’s aide. “Tomorrow, Mayor ...The Hill - 5h -
Former FEMA director to Congress: 'Give it back its independent agency status,' direct access to president
Former director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Michael Brown said that Congress should give the disaster relief agency back its “independent agency status,” allowing it direct ...The Hill - 6h -
Biden won't enforce TikTok ban: Reports
Reports allege that President Biden will not enforce the TikTok ban slated to take effect on Sunday, just one day before the presidential inauguration, according to multiple reports, including by ...The Hill - 6h -
Biden says goodbye to the troops
Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security The Big Story Bien says goodbye to the troops President Biden on Thursday ...The Hill - 7h -
Xi's special representative Han Zheng to attend Trump inauguration
China’s vice president will attend President-elect Trump’s inauguration, according to a Thursday statement from the Foreign Ministry Spokesperson. “At U.S. invitation, President Xi Jinping’s ...The Hill - 7h
More in Politics
-
Eric Adams to meet with Trump ahead of his inauguration
New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) is set to meet with President-elect Trump in Florida on Friday just days ahead of Trump's inauguration next week, according to Adams’s aide. “Tomorrow, Mayor ...The Hill - 5h -
Former FEMA director to Congress: 'Give it back its independent agency status,' direct access to president
Former director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Michael Brown said that Congress should give the disaster relief agency back its “independent agency status,” allowing it direct ...The Hill - 6h -
Biden won't enforce TikTok ban: Reports
Reports allege that President Biden will not enforce the TikTok ban slated to take effect on Sunday, just one day before the presidential inauguration, according to multiple reports, including by ...The Hill - 6h -
Georgia senator arrested after trying to enter House chamber
Georgia State Sen. Colton Moore, a Republican, was arrested when he tried to enter the state House chamber after a previous ban.NBC News - 6h -
China says it will send its vice president to Trump’s inauguration
China is sending Vice President Han Zheng to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration in Washington, Chinese state media reported, , marking the first time a senior Chinese leader will have ...NBC News - 6h