WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Friday argued the GOP does not have a plan to address Americans’ economic concerns and warned that Republicans will roll back Democratic initiatives intended to lower costs if they win back control of Congress in the midterm elections.
“They don’t have a platform other than to tear down what I’ve been able to do, we’ve been able to do. And I don’t know what they’re for,” Biden said in an interview with MSNBC anchor Jonathan Capehart.
Tune in to “The Sunday Show With Jonathan Capehart” at 10 a.m. ET Sunday for the full interview.
With polls showing Republican candidates gaining momentum just over two weeks before the midterm elections, Biden has been making his closing pitch to voters with speeches this week on his administration's efforts to lower gas prices, provide student debt relief and rebuild the nation’s infrastructure.
“These last several weeks all I’m doing is saying here’s what we’re for, here’s what they’re for and make a choice and vote,” Biden said in the interview. “And I think people are going to show up and vote like they did last time.”
The president dismissed polls that show the majority of voters disapprove of his handling of the economy, but said that many of the economic policies his administration has helped put in place over the past two years have yet to take effect, including a plan to lower prescription drug prices and rebuild the nation’s highways and bridges.
Biden reiterated that he intends to run for re-election in 2024, but said he has yet to make a formal decision, in part because that would trigger a series of regulations around his candidacy.
“I have not made that formal decision, but it’s my intention, my intention to run again, and we have time to make that decision,” Biden said.
Biden indicated first lady Jill Biden is supportive of a potential second term, as NBC News reported Friday.
“My wife thinks that we’re doing something very important that I shouldn’t walk away from,” Biden said.
Biden declined to say whether he believed former President Donald Trump should comply with a subpoena issued Friday by the House Jan. 6 committee, but said he supported how the committee has handled its investigation of the attack on the Capitol.
“I’m not going to opine on what he should do, but I think the committee has handled it very well. And they’ve been straightforward and to the point and it seems to me they would make sense,” Biden said.
The House panel investigating the Jan. 6 riot subpoenaed Trump for testimony and documents related to his actions surrounding the insurrection, including any communications he had regarding extremist groups as well as any communications in the past year involving contacts or attempted contacts with witnesses testifying before the committee.
