WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 26th March, 2021) Joe Biden's first formal news conference demonstrated that he is physically and intellectually fit to be US President, American public opinion pollster John Zogby told Sputnik.
Within an hour and two minutes of the White House event on Thursday Biden took questions from 10 reporters. He announced plans to run for re-election, vowed to contain China's quest for global dominance, defended his handling of the surge in illegal immigration, doubled his COVID-19 vaccination pledge and admitted that US troops are likely to stay in Afghanistan beyond the May 1 deadline.
"We saw the benefit of experience and, while he may not be as quick as he used to be, he is knowledgeable and energetic enough to be President. I do believe he was asked tough questions about immigration, Afghanistan, and his agenda. And he answered honestly and forthrightly," Zogby, who is senior partner at John Zogby Strategies, said.
He explained that Biden took fewer questions because there were fewer press present - and "also, as part of Biden's tradition, his answers were very long."
"He was not asked about Russia and President [Vladimir] Putin but I think we can all agree that there are so many crisis issues at this moment that it was difficult to fit everything into one session," Zogby said.
Biden briefly mentioned Russia and President Vladimir Putin - both times in the context of the US-China competition.
Zogby gave Biden high grades and said that his only problem "may very well be that he raised expectations for continuing excellent performances that he then be judged by higher standards."
