A defiant Biden insists on heating up the campaign with attacks on Trump in an interview on NBC

One question. That's exactly how long Joe Biden's spirit of unity lasted after learning about the attack that nearly took the life of the now-official Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump. After describing as "cordial" the conversation between the two after the attempted assassination, the president began to pull out the usual arguments against his rival, pointing to the Charlottesville events of 2020, January 6, the tycoon's statements that he would be "a dictator from day one"and his reluctance to clearly ensure that he will accept the election results.

"This doesn't sound like he's turning down the heat."

The NBC anchor conducting the interview, Lester Holt, was surprised by Biden's tone and words and blurted out that "this doesn't sound like you're turning down the heat." Holt asked the president if his rhetoric such as saying that Trump needed to be put "in the bulls-eye" didn't incite unbalanced people to acts like the one last Saturday. After initially denying that he used those words, he eventually acknowledged that "it was a mistake," but  quickly went on to say that he had to say what he said because of Trump's speech, again listing his accusations against conservative aspirant. 

"There’s a whole range of things. Look, I’m not the guy that said (CLEARS THROAT) I want to be a dictator on day one. I’m not the guy that refused to accept the outcome of the election. I’m not the guy who said that he wouldn’t accept the outcome of this election automatically. You can’t only love your country when you win. And so the focus was on what he’s saying and, I mean, the idea."

As if that wasn't enough, he took advantage of the host's question about whether he had done some soul-searching for his earlier words  and begin to tone down his messages to insist on the danger of Trump:

"Now, my — my — my opponent has engaged in that rhetoric. Talks about there’d be a bloodbath if he loses. Talking about how he’s gonna forgive all the — actually, I guess, suspend the sentences of all those who were arrested and sentenced to go to jail because of what happened on — in the Capitol. I’m not out there making fun of — like, re — remember the picture of Donald Trump when Nancy Pelosi’s husband was hit with the hammer, going — talking about — joking about it." 

"Oh, no, no, no, no. Look, what I’m turning down — we have to stop the whole notion that there are certain things that are contrary to our — our democracy that we’re for. The idea of saying that you — “I didn’t win the election” when every court in the land — every court in the land, 120 appeals said — and including this conservative Supreme Court said we won, the idea about having — a loyalty pledge from all the folks who are in the Republican MAGA — not all Republicans, the MAGA Republicans saying that, “No, we lost the election,” inflaming the people to say — I — you — I mean —".

After Holt again pressed on what he planned to do to de-escalate the tension, Biden noted that he would "continue to talk about the things that matter to the American public." Immediately afterward he again insisted that political violence stems from Trump and MAGA, citing as an example rallies where attendees chant "f**k Biden"and even children display their middle finger.

Biden again insisted that his performance in the debate was just "a bad day"and confirmed that he will debate Trump again in September as agreed. A date on which he was sure that the same thing would not happen to him. However, he insisted that the media did not focus on the most important part of what happened in the CNN studios: Trump's "28 lies" during the face-to-face.