President Joe Biden has opened up about how he comtemplated suicide following the tragic deaths of his first wife and baby daughter.
In an interview with Howard Stern on Friday, the president described how he turned to alcohol after the car crash that killed Neilia Biden and their 13-month-old daughter Naomi in 1972.
The incident in Delaware occurred shortly after Mr Biden was first elected to the US Senate.
“I just thought about it, you don’t need to be crazy to commit suicide… I never drank. That’s not a virtue, I just never drank,” he said.
“I used to sit there and just think to myself I’m going to take out a bottle of scotch… we always had liquor in the house. I thought I’m going to just drink it and get drunk.”
He added: “I could never bring myself to do it.”
He continued: “I just thought about it, you don’t need to be crazy to commit suicide. If you’ve been to the top of the mountain and you think it’s never gonna be there again.
“But I had two kids. And don’t get me wrong I wasn’t like ‘I gotta commit suicide’ but it was like ‘you’ve been to the top of the mountain… you’re never gonna be ok again’.”
Mr Biden went on to say that his two eldest children Beau and Hunter Biden, who had been injured but survived the car accident, had helped him through the period.
The president encouraged others to seek therapy if they experience similar feelings.
While surviving the car crash, Beau Biden also died in 2015 of brain cancer, something the president has stated he believes was linked to his son’s deployment in Iraq and his exposure to burn pits there.
Elsewhere in the interview, Mr Biden told Mr Stern that he is willing to debate his presumptive Republican opponent, Donald Trump, later this year – his most definitive comment yet on the issue.
Mr Trump has issued the challenge to the president multiple times, offering to debate him “any time”, though has questioned Mr Bidens’s willingness.
During the Sirius XM interview, Mr Stern asked the president whether he would participate in debates against Mr Trump.
“I am, somewhere. I don’t know when,” Mr Biden replied. “But I’m happy to debate him.”
Mr Trump quickly responded with a post on Truth Social, challenging him to come to the Manhattan courthouse where he is on criminal trial to debate him. At the end of the day’s proceedings – when it was clear Mr Biden had not shown up – Mr Trump invited himself to the White House to debate him there instead.
So far, Mr Biden’s reelection campaign has declined to commit to participating in debates.
In March, the president was vague on the matter, saying it “depends on his behaviour”.
The two men debated twice during the 2020 general election — a campaign year constrained significantly by Covid-19 restrictions.
Mr Biden was notably irritated by his rival’s antics in the chaotic first debate that year, at one point shouting at Mr Trump: “Will you shut up, man?”
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
