Meyers Blasts Biden for Underestimating Trump Threat, Prioritizing Sleep over Democracy

NBC's Seth Meyers has criticized President Biden for downplaying the significance of his poor debate performance and failing to take the potential consequences of a second Trump presidency seriously enough. Meyers expressed concerns that Biden's attitude suggests he does not fully grasp the urgency of the situation and urged him to act accordingly.

NBC's Seth Meyers has sharply criticized President Biden for his lackadaisical response to his poor debate performance and his seemingly dismissive attitude toward the threat posed by former President Donald Trump.

Meyers Blasts Biden for Underestimating Trump Threat, Prioritizing Sleep over Democracy

Meyers, host of "Late Night," took Biden to task on Monday for his post-debate interview with ABC News, in which Biden stated that he would be content with the election results even if he lost, as long as "I gave it my all."

Meyers vehemently disagreed with this sentiment, exclaiming, "No!" and adding, "Giving it your all is what salsa lessons at a retirement home is all about."

Meyers Blasts Biden for Underestimating Trump Threat, Prioritizing Sleep over Democracy

Meyers suggested that Biden's words indicated a lack of understanding of the dire consequences of a potential Trump victory, especially in light of his own warnings that Trump poses a threat to democracy.

"This isn't about how you feel. This is about how voters feel. If you truly believe that American democracy is at stake – and it is – then you have to act like it," Meyers emphasized.

Meyers Blasts Biden for Underestimating Trump Threat, Prioritizing Sleep over Democracy

Meyers also mocked Biden's plans to get more sleep in response to concerns about his mental acuity, saying, "You can't claim to be the last bulwark against fascism and also have a ‘more sleep’ plan."

"If you think this is serious, you need to act like it's serious, because it is," Meyers advised.

Despite his criticism of Biden, Meyers declined to endorse calls from some liberal pundits and Democratic lawmakers for Biden to suspend his campaign.

"I have no idea what will happen, or if Biden will stay in or not, but as we've established on this show for years now, the stakes of a Trump presidency are incredibly high," Meyers said. "The job of any Democrat running against him is to articulate the strongest possible case against him at all times, especially when everyone is watching. And right now, it's pretty clear that's not happening."

Meyers has been a vocal supporter of the Biden White House and had Biden as his first guest when he took over as "Late Night" host in 2014.

Despite his criticism, Meyers acknowledged that jokes about Biden on his show may be controversial with his liberal viewers, saying last month, "As we made clear on this show repeatedly, there's no equivalency between a competent 81-year-old who occasionally shows signs of age and a demented 77-year-old criminal who says dead people rigged the election and thinks electric boat batteries will lead to shark attacks."