Joe Biden's bloody eye was the perfect metaphor for his disastrous CNN climate town hall


Joe Biden had a terrible performance at CNN's town hall on the climate crisis, and he has the battle scars to prove it.
The former vice president joined other 2020 candidates Wednesday night to discuss their promised answers to climate change and, naturally, some questions left a few contenders stuck. But Andrew Yang's non-answer to quantifying carbon reduction was nothing compared to the whammy Biden suffered when asked about an upcoming fundraiser hosted by a founder of a fossil fuel company.
Early in Biden's time onstage, he was hit with what The New York Times called "probably the toughest question of the night:" How can Biden take on the fossil fuel industry when he's holding a Thursday fundraiser hosted by Andrew Goldman, a co-founder of liquefied natural gas production company? Biden first insisted Goldman is "not a fossil fuel executive," then seemed not so sure, and then recentered the blame on his staff.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The rest of Biden's time onstage didn't go so well either. He constantly fought off questions about whether his climate plan was "aggressive enough," and, as usual, leaned on his time working with former President Barack Obama. And then, adding injury to insultingly bad answers, Biden finished the night with a mysteriously bloody eye. Kathryn Krawczyk
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
What's next for Elon Musk?
Today's Big Question The world's richest man has become 'disillusioned' with politics – but returning to his tech empire presents its own challenges
-
Quiz of The Week: 24 – 30 May
Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
-
The Week Unwrapped: Will Europe beat China and India to the North Pole?
Podcast Plus, is the man who designed the iPhone going to kill his own creation? And what's going on at the equalities watchdog?
-
Laurence Fox suspended by GB News after 'unacceptable' Ava Evans comments
Speed Read Broadcaster issues apology after actor goes on a tirade during a live interview with Dan Wootton
-
Fox News apologizes to Gold Star family for false story Marine Corps called 'disgusting'
Speed Read
-
CNN in crisis
Speed Read Hemorrhaging viewers post-Trump, CNN is trying to broaden its appeal. Can it get Republicans to tune in?
-
Tucker Carlson Tonight is being replaced by Fox News Tonight
Speed Read
-
Judge delays Fox News-Dominion defamation trial start, reportedly to allow settlement talks
Speed Read
-
Judge orders Dominion lawsuit against Fox News to go to trial
Speed Read
-
Fox News seeks gag order for producer who claims she was coerced to mislead in Dominion deposition
Speed Read
-
Lawsuit documents: After 2020 election, Tucker Carlson said he hates Trump 'passionately'
Speed Read