President Biden sat down with world-famous “shock jock” Howard Stern for a lengthy live interview on Friday that delved deeply into his personal history and his goals for seeking reelection.
The interview, which aired on “The Howard Stern Show” on Sirius satellite radio, gave the president an opportunity to connect with millions of listeners, as he has largely eschewed interviews with traditional, independent press.
Let’s look at some of the highlights from the interview.
Ready to debate: Former President Trump has been needling Biden in recent weeks for a face-to-face debate before the November election, which will likely serve as a rematch of the 2020 election.
The incumbent said Friday that he’s all for it. “I don’t know when, but I am happy to debate him,” he told Stern.
Suicidal thoughts: Stern repeatedly asked Biden to discuss tragedies in his life, including the deaths of his first wife, Neilia, and their 13-month-old daughter, Naomi Christina, who died in a car crash in 1972 just weeks before Biden was sworn into the U.S. Senate. The president admitted he considered suicide after their deaths.
“I thought, let me just go to the Delaware Memorial and jump,” Biden said, urging listeners with mental health concerns to seek help.
All in the family: He also said his decision to marry first lady Jill Biden wasn’t his own. His sons, Beau and Hunter, encouraged him to propose.
“Dad, we think we should marry Jill,” he recalled Beau, who died of brain cancer in 2015, telling him.
Check out more from the interview here.
The Stern interview followed reports that Biden has rebuffed multiple requests from The New York Times for a sit-down interview.
“Mr. Biden has granted far fewer press conferences and sit-down interviews with independent journalists than virtually all of his predecessors,” the Times said in a statement confirming the reports.
“If the president chooses not to sit down with The Times because he dislikes our independent coverage, that is his right, and we will continue to cover him fully and fairly either way.”
