The Biden team has indicated they think the problem with Joe Biden’s approval numbers is just a messaging problem, that he needs to get out more in the public and talk more, even as they do all they can to cut off the media from questioning him. But when they do let him out, as they did to do an interview with NBC News’ Lester Holt, they always have cause to regret it — because it’s an acid bath.

Holt asked him a number of questions on a variety of subjects.

Biden told him he wouldn’t send troops into Ukraine to rescue Americans if Russia invaded Ukraine because that could trigger a “world war,” and “things could go crazy quickly.” He said there was no scenario in which he would send troops to rescue Americans. “There’s not. That’s a world war when Americans and Russia start shooting at one another.”

Yikes. Once again, even if you don’t want to trigger fighting with Russia, and even if you want Americans to get out now, you don’t say there are no circumstances in which you wouldn’t rescue Americans because you don’t want to face the Russians. That’s incredibly weak and problematic. Plus you’re basically signaling to the Russians not to worry about the possibility of hostilities with the U.S., if they invade while there are Americans still there, Joe Biden won’t do anything, so come in now. I can’t believe how incredibly ignorant Biden is.

“It’s not like we’re dealing with a terrorist organization,” Biden said. “We’re dealing with one of the largest armies in the world. It’s a very different situation and things could go crazy quickly.”

Biden added that if Russian President Vladimir Putin is “foolish enough to go in, he’s smart enough not to, in fact, do anything that would negatively impact on American citizens.”

Um, Biden left Americans at the hands of a terrorist organization in Afghanistan. Biden is basically saying that American safety would be up to Putin, not him; he’s out of it.

Holt asked if he, Biden, told Putin that messing with Americans would be a line he shouldn’t cross.

Biden says the U.S. wouldn't rescue Americans trapped in Ukraine: "How do you do that? How do you even find them?…I'm hoping…[Putin's] smart enough not to do anything that would negatively impact" them

He then claims he's told Putin that, but seconds later, he says he hasn't pic.twitter.com/BLNLNRQVGR

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) February 11, 2022

Biden first says yes, he told him, then he says he didn’t have to.

Then Holt asked about a U.S. Army report that details how badly the Biden Administration dealt with the withdrawal from Afghanistan. Biden says he rejects those conclusions, then goes into the same mantra about Afghanistan — that the choices were either the mess he made or staying there with a massive increase in troops. But those weren’t the only choices.

On NBC, Biden repeatedly dismisses the Army's report about the disastrous U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan —

Holt: "Are you rejecting the conclusions or the accounts…in this Army report?"

Biden: "Yes, I am."

Holt: "So they're not true?"

Biden: "I'm rejecting them." pic.twitter.com/AInRMQbMw6

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) February 11, 2022

He’s rejecting reality in exchange for the fantasy that the debacle he delivered was the only choice. And he can’t even seem to keep what country he’s talking about straight in his head. “And there is no way we were ever going to unite Ukraine…I mean excuse me Iraq…Afghanistan.”

Biden was also asked about the governors in a variety of states, including blue states, who were dropping the mask mandates. Yet, Biden is still stuck and unwilling to move.

Biden: it's "premature" for cities and states to end indoor mask mandates pic.twitter.com/s06h8xO5QH

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) February 11, 2022

When Holt challenged Biden about his prior claims that inflation was going to be “temporary,” saying a lot of Americans are wondering what Biden’s definition of “temporary” is.

Asked about his historic inflation crisis, Biden calls the reporter "a wise guy" and blames inflation on "the lack of computer chips." pic.twitter.com/X2IwYf3OXB

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) February 10, 2022

Biden snapped at him, “You’re being a wise guy a little bit.” He said the reason for inflation was things like the “lack of computer chips,” which then resulted in the price of automobiles going up, so that was “one-third the cost of inflation.” He keeps saying this, and I don’t know what stat he doesn’t understand here. But inflation across the board on virtually everything isn’t because the price of automobiles is more. He just doesn’t seem to understand what inflation is about, and if he can’t understand what it’s about, he can’t solve it.

The only thing that came close to semi-reality was his response about a SCOTUS choice.

“I think we’ll get a vote from Republican side for the following reason — I’m not looking to make an ideological choice here, I’m looking for someone to replace Judge Breyer with the same kind of capacity Judge Breyer had, with an open mind, who understands the Constitution, interprets it in a way that is consistent with the mainstream interpretation of the Constitution.”

Now, that would be good if that was true; it would make the most sense to put up someone that they could get through the divided Senate. He may actually think that. But he’s been a complete creature of the left since he’s been in office, so I’m not sure I believe this for a second. I think it’s likely he’s saying this, while putting up someone who is far left, but hoping we don’t notice. We shall see.

What a mess this interview was. He’s getting worse.