Tim Ryan says Biden’s planned ABC interview not enough to win back skeptics

Former Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) says President Biden isn’t doing enough to win back skeptics and get his campaign back on track in the wake of his abysmal debate performance last week.

“I’m worried that it’s Wednesday, the debate was Thursday, and all we saw was a five minute press conference that was very muted,” Ryan, who unsuccessfully challenged Biden for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, said during a CNN interview Wednesday. “Nothing that’s been happening is encouraging.”

Ryan also doesn’t think a scheduled extended interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos on Friday — his first since the widely panned debate showing — will be enough to reassure voters.

“It’s gotta be a lot more than that,” Ryan said. “It’s gotta be a barnstorm, it’s gotta be town halls in hostile environments, probably like Fox News. And show us you can make the case.”

Ryan on Wednesday called on Democrats to replace Biden with Vice President Harris at the top of the November ticket, joining the Democrats who this week have increasingly voiced their concerns publicly after Biden’s 90-minute debate with former President Trump.

“It’s sad and it’s heartbreaking, but there’s too much at stake for any one personality — one person — to prevent us from beating Donald Trump,” Ryan said during the CNN interview.

Biden is scheduled to privately meet with a group of Democratic governors Wednesday as he tries to reassure voters that at 81, he is still fit for four more years in the White House.