While interviewing President Joe Biden about those classified documents in his garage, Special Counsel Robert Hur noted that Biden seemed to have trouble placing dates, like when he was vice president or when his son died. To prove how mentally fit he is, Biden went on TV and went in hard on Hur: "How in the hell dare he raise that? Frankly, when I was asked the question I thought to myself it wasn’t any of their damn business." Hur says Biden was the one to bring up Beau's death, as he does in practically every speech he gives. Depending on whom he's talking to, his son died in Iraq.
Republicans have pounced on the report, and NBC News reports that Biden aides are preparing for "a lengthy partisan clash" over the release of the transcript of the interview so we can see who's telling the truth.
Biden aides are preparing for a lengthy partisan clash over the transcript of special counsel Robert Hur’s five-hour interview with the president and its public release, according to two people familiar with the discussions. https://t.co/K6NJ8Eg18t
— NBC News (@NBCNews) February 15, 2024
If it's true that Hur's report was a Republican hit job, releasing the transcripts ought to prove it.
Monica Alba reports:
Biden’s aides anticipate a lengthy partisan clash over the transcript, and possibly the audio recording, that would keep the president on the defensive over questions about his mental fitness as he campaigns for re-election, according to two people familiar with the discussions. The interview was a far more freewheeling discussion than what was detailed in Hur’s report, these people said.
They said Biden’s team is now weighing how to best position him to weather the protracted fallout from Hur’s report, which described the president as “an elderly man with a poor memory” and pointed to his answers in the interview as evidence.
…
Another consideration is whether it would make strategic sense to release the entire transcript or — to the extent that full disclosure is avoidable — to publicize specific moments in the interview to help push back on questions about Biden’s handling of classified materials or mental fitness, the people familiar with the discussions said.
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There are no questions on Biden's handling of classified materials; Hur concluded that Biden had willfully retained top-secret documents — he just didn't think a jury would convict a well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory.
If what Hur is saying was not true, the Biden admin would want the transcript to be released in its entirety. That they are preparing to fight it tooth and nail settles the question.
— Gary in DFW (@LakerGaryC) February 15, 2024
If he's so sharp and focused like members of the administration claim, why the need for a clash?
— Colonel Bijan Mustardson (@Tittlewk93) February 15, 2024
They're trying to hide the full transcript
— Tost (@tostitwo) February 15, 2024
Now ask yourself why?
Release the transcript.
— Doug Bright (@DougBright1) February 15, 2024
Release the entire interview and transcript, whole and uncensored.
— Jason Fontaine (@Jay36963966) February 15, 2024
Why is their a clash? Biden can disprove his memory issues by simply allowing for its release, so why won’t he?
— Jack Daley (@jackDaleyDCLA) February 15, 2024
They should be happy to make it public since he's sharp as a tack and keeps all his young staffers on their toes!
— SandyS (@SandyS121718) February 15, 2024
Release it, problem solved... didnt he run on transparency and accountability?
— Floplag (@floplag) February 15, 2024
Cool, release the recordings.
— Sooners Dog (@BrandonLesco6) February 15, 2024
Why would Hur bring up Beau anyway? The interview was about all of the classified documents Biden had in his garage and basement. Release the transcripts to prove it was a hit job.
And why a "lengthy partisan" clash? Democrats don't want the transcript released to clear Biden's name?
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