i'm robert costa in washington, and this week on "face the nation" -- with july 4th behind us the week ahead could be a critical one for the political future of president joe biden and the democratic

party. ten days after mr. biden's debate performance rattled democrats, many of them across the country are privately and publicly questioning whether he is the strongest candidate to face former president donald trump. president biden says he's up to the job, and insists, as he did in an exclusive interview with abc news's george stephanopoulos, he will not quit the race. >> i mean, if the lord almighty said joe get out of the race, i would get out of the race. >> the pressure on the president to consider stepping aside from the contest is intensifying and with congress back in session and key u.s. allies headed to washington for a nato meeting, the next few days are said to be crucial ones. as for former president trump, he's largely been off the trail, playing golf, and poking at the democrats on social media, and finalizing his decision on a running mate. we'll talk to two key political voices, vermont independent

senator bernie sanders and south carolina republican senator lindsey graham, plus the secretary of general of nato jens stoltenberg will be here to discuss the challenges facing the alliance. that and more is all just ahead on "face the nation." ♪ good morning. and welcome to "face the nation." margaret is off. we are less than four months from election day and the dilemma facing the democratic party is dominating the headlines as is the fallout from the presidential debate, but president biden is determined to stay in the race, even as many democrats are increasingly worried he might lose to former president donald trump. that all said, washington democrats might be on edge, but what do democratic voters in america think?

our cbs news campaign journalists have been out talking with them in two battleground states, wisconsin and pennsylvania. here are their voices. >> is choosing the lesser of two evils i feel like, and joe biden is not evil, i don't think he's fully equipped for the job at his age and mental capacity right now. trump, i'm not a fan. >> i think it's time to back off. i'm suspicious things aren't as good as they were, and maybe things were being hidden from us. >> is there anything he can do to regain confidence from voters? >> possibly. i mean, if he -- if he speaks well, looks confident, poised, possibly, but i'm worried that for short periods of time he can probably pull that off. i'm worried about the endurance it requires to really pull that off. it's a lot. >> at this point no, it's a little too late for that.

i think he'll do fine. >> i'm worried he is not going to kind of listen to the common sense voices who are calling for him to let someone else carry the torch from here on out. i will still vote for him, yeah. >> kind of an unenthusiastic vote? >> yeah. i think the alternative is too stark and that would worry me too much. >> do you think biden would lose to trump right now? >> i do, yeah. >> i can see myself voting for biden again as a last resort. he said he wouldn't be running again if he didn't absolutely believe he was capable of running again. the proof is in the pudding. he's not really fit and i think everybody can kind of see that. >> i think there's nobody in the wings who could beat trump. i think biden can beat him again. >> we're joined now by vermont senator bernie sanders. he joins us from burlington, vermont. senator sanders, good morning. you heard from some democratic voters in the battleground states. you're a leading voice on the

left in this country. does president biden now have your full support? >> president biden can clearly defeat donald trump, the most dangerous president in the history of this country, and the choice is quite clear. you got in trump somebody who wants to take away a woman's right to control her body, who thinks that climate change is a hoax and has turned his back on the working class of this country. on the other side, you have joe biden, first president in ma american history to walk a picket line. we have put more money into fighting climate change than any time in the history of this country. we're rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure. but this i do want to say and where i am critical of the biden campaign, it's one thing to talk about your record over the last three and a half years, which is a strong record, but the american people are hurting. 60% of our people live paycheck to paycheck. 25% of elderly people are

trying get by on $15,000 a year or less. the american people want an agenda for the next four years that speaks to the needs of the working class of this country. frankly, i don't think the president has brought that agenda forward. he has got to say, i am prepared to take on corporate greed, massive income and wealth inequality and stand with the working class of this country. he does that, he's going to win and win big. >> that's your advice for president biden? you want him to stand with working voters, talk about labor and the minimum wage and those issues, but politically, can he count on you to be on the campaign trail for him this summer? can he count on your support? >> i've already done six events in wisconsin. we've been to new york. i've been to ohio. and let's -- let me say this, maybe the most important point, bob, i want to make this morning, what we are talking about now is not a grammy-award contest for best singer.

biden is old. he's not as articulate as he once was. i wish he could jump um the steps on air force one, he can't. what we have to focus on is policy. whose policies have and will benefit the vast majority of the people in this country. who has the guts to take on corporate america? who is talking about expanding medicare so we cover dental, hearing and vision. who's talking about raising the cap on the taxes that people pay into social security so we can raise social security benefits and extend the life of social security for 75 years? who's talking about a permanent child tax credit to cut childhood poverty in america by 50%. those are the issues he's talked about. he has to bring them up and promise the american people if they give him a democratic senate, democratic house, re-elect him, he will do that in the first 100 days. that's what the american people want. >> no doubt, senator, this

campaign about the issues, how policy affects people, and it's about how people see the stakes. let's listen to what president biden had to say on friday about what happens if former president trump wins the election. >> and if you stay in and trump is elected and everything you're warning about comes to pass, how will you feel in january? >> i'll feel as long as i gave it my all and i did the goodest job i know i can do, that's what this is about. >> you just heard that senator sanders. how would you feel if former president trump wins in november? >> well, i would feel awful if somebody was opposed virtually of all of trump's policies and i would feel awful if the american people lost the democracy, which we've had for 250 years. i would feel awful if we turned our back on the existential threat of climate change. this is not about how i feel. it's not about how you feel. it is not even about how joe biden feels. it's about how we win this

election. and maybe what we should be doing is creating a democratic party with biden at the top that stands with the working class of this country. i will tell you this, whether you're republican, democrat or independent, the american people are disillusioned. they are angry. they think their government is busy paying attention to the rich and wealthy campaign donors. by the way, i find it personally insulting that "the new york times" and all these media organizations go out front page, this is what billionaire campaign donors feel. well, the hell with the billionaire campaign donors. let's worry about the working class of this country and what their needs are. >> is president biden talking to you? >> a candidate that speaks to their needs he will win. >> is the president talking to you? you're traveling the country talking to working voters. i've seen all the video of you meeting with union members. has he spoken to you in recent days, and is the white house listening to your advice at all, the campaign? >> yes. he has spoken to me in recent days and i hope to be meeting on

a regular basis with the white house to hammer out an agenda that speaks to the needs of the vast majority of the people who believe that both parties have turned their backs on them. right now, we have more income and wealth inequality we've ever had in the history of this country. the billionaire class has never done better. how about standing up for the working class of this country for a change? if biden does that he will win and win big. >> senator warner of virginia is collecting colleagues to have a discussion about the future of the ticket. have you been invited? will you participate? what do you think of those talks? >> look, mark is a friend of mine. i like mark. he's one of the more conservative members of the democratic caucuses. i have not been invited. no i will not attend. i think right now, look, i understand, biden had a terrible debate performance. i think he's done better since. he's got to do better again. i know that is a legitimate concern. but i think most importantly

now, this is not a beauty contest or a grammy award contest. who stands with the vast majority of this country, the elderly, children, working class, the poor, and that candidate is, obviously, joe biden. >> senator sanders, i must ask, i covered you closely in 2016 and 2020, you've run national campaigns. you've been a presidential candidate. you know what it takes. if for whatever reason president biden ever decided to withdraw from the race, would you be open to being considered as the nominee? >> well, right now i am running for re-election for the great state of vermont as their senator. that's where my focus is right now. >> senator sanders, we appreciate your time. "face the nation" will be back in one minute. stay with us. r in the morning, did you know, the best time for skin renewal is at night? olay retinol24 renews millions of surface skin cells while you sleep. wake up to smoother, younger-looking skin with olay retinol24.

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senator bernie sanders. he said he's not going to meet with senator warren and the democratic colleagues about the future of the ticket. you've been talking to former president trump, your ally in recent days, and you even played a little golf with trump. what's the view from senate republicans and especially from former president trump about what's happening across the aisle? >> well, i think most of us are concerned of the national security implications of this debate about president biden's health. bernie sanders' problem with biden he's not liberal enough. 70% of the public believes that president biden's not mentally and physically capable of being president. 70% of the people believe the nation's on the wrong track. most democrats are worried about biden winning the election. i'm worried about biden being the commander in chief of the next four months. we're having a meeting with nato in washington next week. on october the 7th, israel's attacked by hamas. october 8th, president biden

gives an interview to the special counsel where they determined him to be a nice man with a bad memory and you couldn't convince a jury he did anything wrong. i want those tapes released, so what i would like to see is president biden take a cognitive test. i think everybody going forward in the line of succession -- >> should former president trump take one as well? >> yes. yes. i think both, all nominees for president going in the future should have neurological exams as part of an overall physical exam. i think people in the line of succession should have a n neurological exam. my predecessor senator thurman was a vigorous man, but he was 100. this is a wake-up call for the country. we need to make sure that the people who are going to be in the line of succession are capable of being commanders in chief under dire circumstances. here's what i worry about, that our allies see a compromised joe biden, that our enemies see a compromised joe biden, and i'm

offended by the idea that he shouldn't take a competency test, given all the evidence in front of us. he is not only in denial, this is a dangerous time for the american people to have somebody at the -- leading the ship who seems to be compromised. at a minimum take a competency exam, president biden, and trump. >> speaking of a wake-up call, many democrats are alarmed at what the supreme court did this past week in terms of ruling on presidential immunity, saying that presidents effectively have immune in ity when it comes to official acts. you are very close to former president trump, this is someone who pushed to overturn the election in late 2020, early 2021. he pushed officials who were working in an official capacity like then vice president mike pence to the brink. how will trump use power in the second term in the wake of the supreme court ruling? >> well, you're going to have the nato leader on next.

i think, look, what president trump will do when it comes to nato is pick up where he left off. pay more. about 18 members of nato pay the 2% required. sam nunn had a proposal in 1986 -- >> i'm talking about, senator, how he's going to use power inside the white house and administration? >> i think he's going to use power to get nato to pay more. i think he's going to secure the border by using executive action. i think he's going to be a dam good president to right the ship. i think he's going to open up america to oil and gas exploration. i think he's going to undo all the problems created by biden. the question is, will it be on a revenge tour? he's going to be on a succession tour. he's going to get us energy independence, control our borders, get our nato allies to may more. we have to deal with china. we're the sole supplier of arms for israel. nato should pay more. i'm an internationalist in terms of the republicans, but i want

to tell -- because of what he did before. >> he's had a lot of grievances on social media and speeches in recent weeks. >> when he was president of the united states, he had the most secure border in american history. when he is president of the united states, we had arabs making peace with israel. when he was president of the united states we were energy independent and inflation was down. policy wise is what he did in the past. i love a policy debate. you know, senator sanders wants a policy debate. bring it on. the policy of socialism versus the policy of freedom. that's what this is about. but i'm worried right now, about the capability of our president to be commander in chief. >> senator graham, you want to make this about policy and that's a fair point to make as a u.s. senator, but in recent weeks, former president trump on his social media has been amplifying calls circulating posts, calling for televised military tribunals, that's his phrase that he amplified on his

social media, for people like former congresswoman liz cheney. you say he's not going to be on a revenge tour, but he's been posting on his social media about not only taking revenge but having televised military tribunals and you're someone who has served this country in uniform. do you agree with his push in amplification of those proposals? >> here's what i know. we're not going to have televised tribunal trials of liz cheney or anybody else. here's what i do believe. i do believe that the country is at an inflection point. this is the most important election in decades, maybe ever. if you want to change the course we're on, you need to go back to president trump. policy does matter. i am confident that if he is president of the united states, very quickly we'll get our border under control. we'll become energy independent again. and we'll bolster our allies and put our enemies on their back foot. this is a very dangerous time. i do not believe -- i like

president biden, but what i have seen i am very concerned that this map is not capable of being commander in chief for four more months, so let's have testing to resolve this debate. let's test trump. let's test biden. let's test everybody in the line of succession to see if they're capable. >> senator graham, you've played golf with former president trump, we all know you support senator tim scott, your colleague from south carolina, to be trump's running mate. has trump decided privately on his running mate? and who are the frontrunners in your view? >> i don't think he's decided. i'm a big tim scott fan because i want to expand the map. now i believe before this is all said and done that president biden, most likely, will be replaced and kamala harris is going to be very vigorous, but she's for the green new deal, she's for medicare for all, she's more like bernie sanders on policy, but if i were president trump, i would make sure i pick somebody that could add value in 2024, expand the

map, take -- prosecute the case against the liberals -- >> who should that be? if not senator scott, who should it be? >> well, three people being talked about. bur gum, solid as a rock, j.d. vance is alined with president trump in many ways, can he expand the map? marco rubio, you have a problem in florida. i think he's a very articulate conservative that could help president trump enormously. somebody not talked about is youngkin from virginia. if we win virginia we win. it is over. so i'm hoping president trump is looking for a vp pick that not only can carry on the american first agenda, after he leaves, but also win in 2024. i think the vp pick by both parties, if biden steps down, harris is going to have to pick somebody to help her. if the -- if she does become the

nominee, this is a dramatically different race than it is right now today. i hope people are thinking about that on our side. >> senator graham, thank you. i know somebody in richmond, virginia, right now is perking up their ears at that mention in this season. we'll be right back with a lot more "face the nation." stay with us. ♪ ♪ i got the power of 3. i lowered my a1c, cv risk, and lost some weight. in studies, the majority of people reached an a1c under 7 and maintained it. i'm under 7. ozempic® lowers the risk of major cardiovascular events such as stroke, heart attack, or death in adults also with known heart disease. i'm lowering my risk. adults lost up to 14 pounds. i lost some weight. ozempic® isn't for people with type 1 diabetes. don't share needles or pens, or reuse needles. don't take ozempic® if you or your family ever had medullary thyroid cancer, or have multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, or if allergic to it. stop ozempic® and get medical help right away if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, severe stomach pain, or an allergic reaction. serious side effects may include pancreatitis.

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lead es of america's closest european allies will be coming to washington for the nato summit. jens stoltenberg is here. good morning secretary general. great to have you here at the table. let me read you a headline from "the wall street journal", quote, the world saw president biden deteriorating, democrats ignored warnings, european leaders and officials express worries about his focus and stamina. you're meeting with nato leaders in washington, you're close with president biden and many other nato leaders. what's your real take on the private assessment of the president of the united states among nato leaders? >> i'm absolutely confident that when all nato leaders convene

here this week, it will be a great summit. we will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the most successful alliance in history and i just met president biden in the oval office a couple weeks ago and that was a good and productive meeting. we prepared all the important decisions on support for ukraine and some burden sharing that european allies are stepping up and spending record amount of money on the trends. of course also on china, on our need to work together. this is the substance of the summit and, of course, this would not have been possible to make without strong u.s. leadership. >> there's no question the substance is what matters. we just heard from senator lindsey graham of south carolina a republican close to the republican nominee, he's saying he has concerns that world leaders don't trust president bden to be in command of the job. you speak privately with these people. what's the truth here? are there concerns or not among nato leaders? >> if i started to comment on issues like that, then suddenly

nato, i will be part of domestic debate. >> you could just say no or yes. >> i think it's important for nato to stay out of that kind of domestic discussions. they are important in the united states, but nato should not be part of it. what matters for nato is the decisions or to do together and just, for instance, on the defense spending which has been a big issue for the united states for many years under the different presidents. when we made the ten-year to increase defense spending only two allies spend on defense, this year is 23 allies, an increase of 80% across europe and canada. record high investments? i understand you want to focus on that. you've been with president biden as you said in the oval office. what's your personal assessment? is he someone you can work with in an effective way on the policy issues? >> we had a good, productive meeting and, of course, there's no way to make these big decisions on how to further

strengthen nato, enlarge nato, new members, without having a strong u.s. leadership. >> why such a long timeline to bring in ukraine? you talked about a ten-year window? why ten years versus maybe one or two or three years, since they're facing war? >> well no one has said exactly ten years, but it's obvious that it is a very serious issue to bring in ukraine because ukraine is now a country at war. ukraine has been attacked by russia. so the most important thing we should do is to step up our support to ukraine to ensure that ukraine -- as a precondition for any membership. >> we'll have more questions for the secretary general soon. please stay with us. terans and their families with life-changing programs and services. i faced my ptsd, and i'm a better husband and father because of it. we help warriors get the expert care and support to thrive. i got involved. i got healthier. i got to be an athlete again. through our programs, community

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we'll be right back with a lot more "face the nation." stay with us.

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