Joe Biden tells Jimmy Kimmel that Trump has committed an impeachable offense, one-ups #MAGA
"You've been in politics for quite some time," Jimmy Kimmel told former Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday's Kimmel Live. How do the last 48 hours of President Trump's impeachment-adjacent Ukraine scandal rank "on the outlandish scale"? "Um, 18 out of 10," Biden said. "No, this is really bizarre." "It is almost like you and President Obama left the door to the White House open and a bear got in," Kimmel agreed, summing up the current state of presidential politics. "It's crazy."
Biden dismissed Trump's allegations about him, saying "there's not one single solitary legitimate journalist in the world who's given any credibility to this." But this isn't about him or how "bizarrely" Trump is acting, he added. "It's such a blatant abuse of power that it's just, I don't think it can stand." "Do you think it is impeachable, this particular instance?" Kimmel asked. "Based on the material that they acknowledged today, it seems to me it's awful hard to avoid the conclusion that it is an impeachable offense and a violation of constitutional responsibility," Biden said. "But look, I am confident in the ability of the House and Senate to deal with this. My job is to just go out and flat beat him."
Trump is causing "monumental" damage on the environment, international relations, gun violence, and health care, as well as to America's "soul," Biden said, and he doesn't want impeachment to distract from all that. Kimmel asked Biden if he'd be running if a "decent man like Jeb Bush" had won — there were a few laughs — and Biden said no, probably not. "Look, we can probably handle four years, if he doesn't get us in a war in the next year — and I'm not being a wise guy, I'm not being glib saying that," Biden said. "But eight years of Donald Trump will fundamentally alter the character of this nation, in my view."
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"We have so much going for us, and I think it's time we, as Americans, just stop feeling sorry for ourselves, lift our heads," Biden said. "This is the United States of America, there's not a single thing we can't do!" "Mr. Vice President, are you saying you want to make America great again?" Kimmel asked. "I'm saying I want America to be the envy of the world again," Biden replied. #ABEWA? Watch below. Peter Weber
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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
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