Veteran journalist Susan Page revealed to MSNBC Wednesday "the most striking admission" made by Joe Biden during her exclusive sit-down with the outgoing president.
Biden is in the final days of his one-term presidency as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to resume power on Jan. 20.
Andrea Mitchell asked Page about her conversation with Biden, which appeared in Wednesday's USA TODAY.
"You made one of the only interviews, if not the only interview, with President Biden before he leaves office," Mitchell said. "He's not even holding a news conference, which is traditional — which is not great for the White House press core. But here you are, and there are some big headlines here."
Mitchell continued, "Something that was reported that he had alluded to in a private conversation with president Obama at Ethel Kennedy's funeral service, and he's suggesting he could have actually won the election?"
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"He said he believed he could have won the election in November if he had stayed on the ballot," Page said. "Which is a striking admission. But the more striking one, Andrea, I thought was when I asked him, 'Do you believe you would have had the vigor to complete four more years in what many people think is the toughest job in the world?' And he said, 'I don't know.' He said, 'Who the hell knows?' and he said, 'I don't know who I will be at 86 years old,' which would be the age he would be leaving."
Mitchell asked, "So, why would he have chosen to run again without the confidence that he could have completed his term?"
"Yes, It's at odds with the assurances he gave American voters when he was running. So that is a good question to ask, and it is too bad we don't have a news conference to follow that up."
Biden was forced to drop out of the presidential race after a disastrous debate, where he repeatedly fumbled his words. Vice President Kamala Harris took his place with just four months until the election, and she ultimately and soundly lost to Trump.
