Anthony D'Esposito: This Is What's Most 'Scary' About Biden At The First Presidential Debate

2 months ago

On "Forbes Newsroom," Rep. Anthony D'Esposito (R-NY) responded to the first presidential debate, President Biden's performance, the 2024 election, and more.

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Transcript

00:00Hi, everybody. I'm Brittany Lewis with Forbes Breaking News. Joining me now is Congressman

00:07Anthony D'Esposito. Congressman, thanks for coming back on.

00:10Thanks for having me.

00:12Last week, there was a historic debate between a past and current president,

00:17Donald Trump and Joe Biden. So let's dive right in. What are some of your takeaways?

00:23So, yeah, I mean, you mentioned that it was a historic debate. And I think that Joe Biden has

00:27one of the things that he's done well is he has broken records and made history,

00:33but none of it is something that he probably should be proud of. I mean, he's

00:37set records at our southern border, creating a disaster that we've seen. And yeah, Thursday

00:42night was historic. It was probably one of the worst debate performances that we've seen,

00:48especially from a sitting president, perhaps ever. You know, what I think was clear is that

00:56Joe Biden is just not prepared to run this country and be our commander in chief. And I

01:02think what's scary is that many of the things that we're seeing, many of the issues that are

01:07plaguing this country, the things that when I go out into my district here on Long Island and talk

01:12to neighbors, the things that they're talking about most around the kitchen table, Joe Biden

01:16is just not addressing. And, you know, it was somewhat eerie in that when you watch that

01:23debate, I mean, you could legitimately watch that debate on mute and Joe Biden still lost it.

01:29And many of the things that were negotiated in order to put that debate forward, the time of day,

01:37the fact that there was nobody in the audience, obviously the network that was running it,

01:42the fact that there was a split screen. I mean, I think that split screen caused Joe Biden more harm

01:49than some of the answers that he left us with did. So I just think all in all, the debate was a

01:54disaster. You can see from Democrats the next morning on Capitol Hill that they really didn't

02:00have an answer when asked, you know, do you think Joe Biden is prepared to run this country, to be

02:05our commander in chief? They, you know, some of them just refused to answer. And when it comes to

02:11what we're seeing on a global scale, when we talk about China, when we talk about Iran,

02:15when we talk about Russia, when we talk about our adversaries, there is no question that it wasn't

02:21just the American people watching that debate. Our adversaries were as well. And when we talk about,

02:27you know, the time when, you know, at a time when Reagan, when he always talked about, you know,

02:32we achieve peace through strength. We are not achieving peace through strength because Joe

02:37Biden is not showing that strength. I want to get to the international response in a moment,

02:44but first, both Republicans and Democrats alike that I've talked to said the debate was disastrous

02:50for President Biden, said it was, in some words, devastating. What have been your conversations

02:56with other lawmakers, Republicans and Democrats included, if you've spoken with them since

03:01Thursday? So, you know, listen, the Democrats, I think, you know, they go unnamed, but yeah,

03:06they are concerned. I mean, listen, in places like New York, where the Democrats are putting

03:12so many resources into trying to take back these seats, it's just not going to happen. I mean,

03:17the New Yorkers that are now running as incumbents in these tough Biden districts have created,

03:25you know, they've made it clear to the people that put them in the seat that they're willing

03:30to work across the aisle, that they're willing to work hard, that they're willing to put the

03:35communities that sent them there first before everyone else. And that is, you know, we can tell

03:42that our opponents are concerned. I mean, my opponent, for example, she's, you know, she is,

03:48you know, she's very quick on the tweets when it's something about Donald Trump or something

03:53about the Republican Party, but she's been eerily silent since Thursday evening, not mentioning a

03:59word about the debate, not saying that President Biden did a good job, not saying that it was a

04:04disaster. She's saying nothing. And I think the lack of anything from our opposition speaks

04:13volumes because they know that that debate was a complete disaster. They know that the Democratic

04:19base is not enthusiastic. They will not come out to vote to support Joe Biden. And in districts

04:24like mine, where Joe Biden won by 16 and a half points in 2020, this is the most Biden district

04:32that is held by any Republican in the United States of America. Joe Biden won it by 16 and a

04:39half points. Prior to the debate, we had a poll that was done by a national pollster, John

04:44McLaughlin, who actually polls for the president. He polls for Prime Minister Netanyahu. He polls

04:50for me and many other members of Congress. President Trump is up seven and a half points.

04:56So he went from a 16 and a half point deficit to being up by seven and a half. I am up by

05:02even more than that. And again, this is a district that the Democrats believe is their first and easy

05:07target. It shouldn't be their first target. And it's definitely not easy because we are going to

05:11win again. President Biden, as you've said, as others have indicated, had a bad debate night

05:19and some have chalked it up to even more than that. He was incoherent at some points. He trailed off

05:24a decent amount during that debate. And strategists and political scientists I've

05:28talked to have said there wasn't a winner in that debate. Instead, President Biden lost.

05:34Donald Trump reportedly repeated over 30 falsehoods on things ranging from abortion,

05:39the economy, January 6th, other topics in between. So when you look at this debate as a whole,

05:44what do you think this indicates to both our friends and enemies abroad?

05:48I think that, like I said, the view from our enemies abroad, specifically right now to who

05:54our commander in chief is, it makes the country look weak. And I think that this is an opportunity

06:00for President Trump to really speak to the American people, because let's be honest,

06:05that debate on Thursday night, the people who are watching it, who are political animals,

06:10who pay attention, who are into the everyday, what happens on Capitol Hill and beyond,

06:18they know who they're voting for. They know whether they're supporting Donald Trump or Joe Biden

06:22or neither. But I think that the debate was an opportunity because I think we would both agree,

06:27and I'm sure many of your listeners agree, that that debate was watched by hundreds of millions

06:32of people because it has now become some sort of almost like a reality series. People are watching

06:39it that have never been interested in government politics before. And that was an opportunity

06:44to tell those people why we are different, why the Republicans are better at government, why

06:51Joe Biden has destroyed parts of our country over the last three and a half years, and really talk

06:56about, like I mentioned a few minutes ago, the things that are discussed most amongst people

07:02around their kitchen table. Thursday night was a perfect opportunity to look to the American people

07:06and those who are not really interested in government politics and say, listen,

07:10I'm going to break this down very simply. In a couple of days, you're going to be celebrating

07:14the forfeiture line. You're going to be going to barbecues. You're going to be hosting family

07:17and friends at your house. When I was president, it cost this much. With Joe Biden as president,

07:22it's costing this much. But instead, we were talking about a golf handicap. We were talking

07:27about things that really don't matter to the American people. And yes, I think there was

07:32opportunities that were missed when Joe Biden, who was trailing off, and even President Trump

07:37said, you know, I'm not sure what he said, and I'm not sure what he said. I'm not sure he knows

07:41what he said. But I mean, President Biden lied to the American people and said that under his

07:46tenure, nobody in the military has died when he forgot that, you know, there was a time when

07:53we would not only through the botched withdrawal of West Afghanistan, I mean, he's been criticized

07:58for standing on a tarmac when the bodies of heroes were processed past him and he was looking

08:05at his watch. I mean, so either he forgets, either he's confused or he just doesn't care. But

08:11nonetheless, it is not a good look for the American people.

08:15To your point about more passive voters tuning in, that was the case, at least in my circles.

08:22And I got many texts from Democratic voters saying, hey, I didn't like this. This alarmed

08:28me as a Democrat. And if I didn't know Donald Trump the past four years of him as president

08:34between 2017 and 2021, I would think he's more presidential right now. So is President Biden

08:41how we saw him on on Thursday? Is that a one off or is that congruous with how you see him

08:47when you're working more closely with him as a lawmaker?

08:50I think it's what we've seen. I think it's a pattern. Obviously, some days I think President

08:55Biden is sharp and on point. It's rare. But for the majority of the time, when you see him,

09:02when you see him speak to the press, I mean, it's one of the reasons as to why he avoids

09:06talking to the press. You know, sometimes he goes days and weeks without actually having

09:11a conversation with the press as the you know, as the commander in chief of the United States

09:17of America. President Trump was perceived by the American people as presidential,

09:23because right now, he he certainly is acting presidential. He understands what this country

09:31is facing. He realizes that under the failed leadership of Joe Biden, we've seen over 10

09:37million people come into this country illegally. We've seen over 2 million people that are known

09:43gotaways. We know that they crossed the southern border, we don't know where they are, what they're

09:47doing, what they're associating with. In addition to the millions more who have just come across,

09:51and we legitimately have no idea where they are, what they're doing, what they're associating with.

09:56There is no question that because of President Biden's failed policies, his failed leadership,

10:02this country is less safe. I speak to law enforcement professionals every single day.

10:07I'm a member of the House Homeland Security Committee, where we receive briefings.

10:10And there is no question, it is not if we will have another terrorist attack, it's when we will

10:16have another terrorist attack. Just a couple of weeks ago, there were people that had ISIS ties

10:22that were, you know, they were interrupted by the by agencies, law enforcement agencies,

10:31because they came across our southern border. Just a couple of days ago, the chief of detectives in

10:36the NYPD, who's dealing with this every single day because of the the migrants that are making

10:42their home in New York City. I mean, we've had just what two weeks ago, you had a 13 year old

10:46that was raped by an illegal migrant. In Queens, you've had cops that were shot at by illegal

10:52migrants. We now have Venezuelan gangs who are putting or smuggling illegal firearms into

11:00migrant shelters through Uber Eats and delivery services. I mean, they are putting

11:09videos out on social media, recruiting new members of these dangerous Venezuelan gangs.

11:14And these are all individuals who are coming across our border illegally. So President Trump

11:19is presidential because he understands that. And when he was president, we didn't have the issues

11:24that we're facing now. Am I saying that the country was perfect? Absolutely not. But over the last

11:29three and a half years, Joe Biden has legitimately destroyed so many aspects of this beautiful

11:35country. People feel less safe because they are less safe. Our partners or our adversaries, I

11:41should say, across the globe are looking at us as weak and they're taking advantage of us. I mean,

11:48under President Trump, there is no way that we would have allowed a Chinese spy balloon to come

11:54across the entire United States of America before it was taken down. It just wouldn't happen. I

12:00believe that we wouldn't have seen the attacks in Israel from from Hamas and obviously the proxies

12:05of Iran. That would have never happened under the leadership of President Trump. We are looked at as

12:11weak. We hear it every single day. We see it by the decisions that our adversaries are making.

12:17The debate on Thursday opened a Pandora's box of calls for President Biden to step

12:22aside from the 2024 race. From both Republicans and Democrats, do you think he should step aside?

12:28I don't think that there's a chance that Joe Biden is going to step aside from this race.

12:34Since the 118th Congress began in January, House Republicans have made it very clear that we are

12:40looking to hold those accountable who have violated the public trust. And one of those people

12:45that we held accountable was one of our own in George Santos, where I led the effort to make

12:50sure that he was removed from Congress because he failed the American people. And we've done it

12:55with Secretary Mayorkas and we're doing it with the Biden crime family. And there is very few

13:00families that have been in politics and government who have monetized their power like the Biden

13:05family has. And there is no way that Joe Biden, that Jill Biden or their inner circle is going to

13:11allow Joe, President Biden, to not be on that ballot in November. I know you think he won't

13:16step down, but you said earlier that he's not prepared to be commander in chief. So do you

13:20think he should? I don't think that what we saw on Thursday night, if that is, I don't spend every

13:26day with President Biden. If that is how he is every single day, then we really, as the American

13:33people, as his cabinet, really, and as lawmakers on Capitol Hill, need to really question as to

13:41whether Joe Biden is prepared to leave this country. But again, I don't see that happening

13:47and I don't see his family advising him that he should step aside and allow the Democrats to put

13:53somebody else in place. They have way too much power. They've monetized it more than most have

13:59throughout the history of this country. And I don't see it stopping anytime soon.

14:04After the debate, your colleague, Congressman Chip Roy, called on

14:08Vice President Kamala Harris to invoke the 25th Amendment. Is that something you support?

14:13I mean, I have to, I know that there's legislation that Chip is going to be presenting next week when

14:19we get back on Capitol Hill. It's something that I'll read through again. I think that

14:24while I may or may not support it, I haven't read it yet. I think what's clear is that it won't go

14:31anywhere because the Senate won't do anything with it. But I think there is no question after Thursday

14:36night, and as you mentioned a few minutes ago, you had friends that had called you and said that,

14:42they don't normally watch these things, but they were paying attention. And there is no question

14:46that if that is the situation, if that is the way that Joe Biden is governing each and every day,

14:53we have a serious problem. And just to add to that, I think that what we saw on Thursday night

14:59is like I mentioned a few moments ago, I think there were a lot of decided voters who were

15:03watching that, but there are also people who are undecided and I'm not really sure where they sway,

15:09but I think that they will know and see that President Trump was the one that was far better

15:15off in leading this country. And I think what Thursday night also did to the Democrats, which

15:19I believe is devastating throughout this country and especially in places like New York. I mean,

15:25when President Trump tells you that we have a chance to win New York, that New York is in play,

15:30that he is quote, going to make a huge push in New York. Thursday is devastating to Joe Biden,

15:36because in tremendous minority pockets, in places like the five boroughs, in places like

15:42my district, in Hempstead, Uniondale, Roosevelt, places that are majority minority,

15:49they feel taken for granted as well. Those communities are the ones that are seeing the

15:53spikes in violence. Those are the ones that are being taken for granted by the Biden administration.

15:57And quite frankly, there is zero enthusiasm to come out and vote for President Biden.

16:03Do you think, because New York is historically blue,

16:06do you think it could actually be in play this November?

16:10I do. I firmly believe that New York is in play. I think in 2022, you had people like myself,

16:18like Mark Molinaro, like Nicola Loda, Andrew Garbarino, Mike Lull or Brandon Williams,

16:24who ran in these very tough seats in New York. And we were able to win. We delivered wins in

16:31Biden's seats that people thought was impossible. I mean, I remember in 2022, when I said I was

16:37running for Congress in a district that Joe Biden won by 16.5 points, I'm not even sure my mom

16:42thought it was able to win. But we did because we were on the right side of every issue and we are

16:49able to communicate with voters. And I didn't win just because I appealed to Republican conservatives.

16:56I won and I won previous elections. You know, my last re-election to the Hempstead Town Board,

17:02again, in a Democratic district, I won with 70 percent of the vote. I didn't win and I didn't

17:07win in 2022 because I only appealed to the conservative Republicans. It's because I was

17:13able to appeal and they trusted me. Democrats, independents, and our opposition on the Democratic

17:21side, they're only playing to themselves. That's it. They don't appeal to the everyday New Yorker,

17:26the everyday Long Islander, and the everyday American. Congressman D'Esposito, we have to

17:31leave it there. But thank you again for your time. I always appreciate our conversations.

17:36Thank you. Have a great one.

Anthony D'Esposito: This Is What's Most 'Scary' About Biden At The First Presidential Debate

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