‘I was in charge and he won’: Joe Biden accepts some blame for 2024 loss, defends record

Former US President Joe Biden has said he takes some responsibility for Donald Trump’s election win in 2024 but strongly defended his time in office, blaming a lack of messaging and Republican obstruction for voter dissatisfaction.In an interview on ‘The View’, Biden said, “Yes, I do,” when asked if he bore any responsibility for the Democrats’ defeat. “Because look, I was in charge, and he won, so I take responsibility.” However, he also claimed that if he had stayed in the race, he could have beaten Trump, a view he’s expressed before.Biden added he was not surprised that former Vice President Kamala Harris lost, saying her opponents “went the sexist route,” while also citing the “phenomenal negative impact” of the Covid-19 pandemic. Still, he called Harris “first rate” and said she faces a “difficult decision” about her political future. “I hope she stays fully engaged,” he said, but noted, “We have a lot of really good candidates as well.”Biden exited the race after a widely criticised debate performance against Trump, which raised fresh concerns about his age. He admitted the debate was a “bad, bad night” but denied it reflected a deeper cognitive decline. “There’s nothing to sustain that,” he said, adding he “did a pretty damn good job the last six months” in office.Dr Jill Biden also appeared in the interview and gave a firm defence of her husband’s capabilities. “He’d get up, put in a full day, and then at night... he was still on the phone, reading his briefings, working with staff. I mean, it was nonstop,” she said.Biden rejected suggestions that he pressured Harris not to publicly distance herself from his administration. As per CBS News, he “did not advise her” to say there were no differences between their policies and added that her remarks had been “misinterpreted.”The former president also took aim at Trump, accusing him of having “the worst 100 days any president’s ever had.” When asked why Trump keeps mentioning him, Biden replied, “I beat him,” referencing his 2020 victory.Biden dismissed Trump’s claim that pardons signed with an autopen, including for family members, were “void,” responding sharply: “Oh, he’s vacant.”The interview comes as both Bidens reemerge in public life. Jill Biden now leads a women’s health initiative, while the former president is working on a new book and exploring how best to stay involved. “I’m trying to figure out what’s the most significant and consequential role I can play,” he said.