Biden blames foreign travel for poor show at US Presidential Debate

Says he almost fell asleep on stage, admits that he did not have a good debate

Washington: US President Joe Biden on Tuesday blamed his recent foreign travels for his debate debacle.

“I wasn’t very smart. I decided to travel around the world a couple of times … shortly before the debate,” Biden said while speaking to donors at a fundraiser in a Virginia suburb of Washington DC.

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“I didn’t listen to my staff … and then I almost fell asleep on stage.”

In his remarks, Biden admitted that he did not have a good debate, and said he “wasn’t very smart” for “travelling around the world a couple times” before the debate.

Biden also apologised by saying he was sorry for the performance. “It’s not an excuse but an explanation.”

The President’s remarks at the fundraiser was just for six minutes, which is far shorter than what he speaks on such occasions.

Meanwhile, the White House said Biden will travel to Wisconsin on Friday.

He will conduct a sit-down interview with George Stephanopoulos from ABC News, while on the campaign trail.

He will travel to Philadelphia on Sunday. And next week, he will host a NATO press conference, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at her daily news conference.