Biden says 'I feel good' and 'optimistic' in 1st public comments about cancer treatment
He spoke to reporters after a veterans memorial event in Delaware.
Former President Joe Biden, after delivering first public remarks since his office announced earlier this month that he had been diagnosed with 'aggressive" prostate cancer, told reporters on Friday that he was feeling "optimistic" about his prognosis.
"Well, the prognosis is good. You know, we're working on everything. It's moving along. So, I feel good," Biden said.
He said he had decided on a treatment option, mentioning that he would be taking various medications.
"The expectation is, we're going to be able to beat this … it's not in any organ. My bones are strong. It hasn't penetrated so I'm feeling good," he added, later saying his family is also optimistic about the diagnosis and said "one of the leading surgeons in the world" is working with him.
The announcement from Biden's office said there was "metastasis to the bone."
Asked about the recent controversy over his mental and physical capabilities while in office, Biden joked, with a smile, "You can see that -- I'm mentally incompetent and I can't walk."
And asked about Democrats who say he shouldn't have run again, Biden said, "Why didn't they run against me then? Because I'd have beaten them." He added he has no regrets.
"There's a lot going on. And I think we're in a really difficult moment, not only in American history, in world history. I think we're one of those inflection points in history where the decisions we make in the next little bit are going to determine what things look like for the next 20 years," he added, saying he is proud of his record as president.
On Thursday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that former first lady Jill Biden should "speak up about what she saw in regards to her husband and when she saw it and what she knew," accusing her of lying.
Asked about Leavitt's comments, Biden smiled and said, "I don't know who the press secretary is," but afterward said he was joking and that the media would play that straightforwardly.
In his earlier formal remarks at a Memorial Day service in his home state of Delaware, Biden said that American politics have "become so divided and so bitter," but that he sees the military as united.
"My friends, Memorial Day is about something profound," Biden said. "Our politics have become so divided and so bitter -- all the years that I've been doing this, I never thought we'd get to this point, but we are. Our troops don't wear a uniform that says I'm a Democrat or I'm a Republican; it says I'm an American, I'm an American, that's who I am."
Biden also called his time as the commander in chief the greatest honor of his life, and highlighted the 10th anniversary of the passing of his son Beau – who served in the Delaware Army National Guard and died of brain cancer on May 30, 2015, when he was 46 years old.
"The greatest honor [of] my life has been, for four years, of being the commander in chief, [of the] United States," Biden said, adding a lighthearted aside that if he had come from another state besides Delaware, he doesn't think that would have happened.
"I know for many of you, Memorial Day, like for us, is deeply personal," Biden said solemnly later in his remarks. "For the Bidens, this day is the 10th anniversary [of] the loss of my son Beau, [who] spent a year in Iraq, and to be honest, it's a hard day."
He spoke about Beau joining him at Memorial Day services, about Beau's time in the Delaware Army National Guard and deployment to Iraq, and the time Beau asked his father to pin the bars on his military uniform.
Beau's legacy lives on in his children and grandchildren, like the legacies of the loved ones other attendees lost, Biden said. "And just like the legacy of all our fallen heroes lives on -- they live on in us, and they live on in the strength and freedom of our nation. That sounds like hyperbole, but it's real. It's literal."
"So everyone, everyone who came here today to grieve with grief in your heart, please know you're not alone. You'll never be alone, and your loved one will never be forgotten. Period," Biden said.
He told attendees as well that "being with all of you, quite frankly, it makes things a little bit easier. It really does. So thank you for allowing me to grieve with you."
After his remarks, Biden appeared visibly emotional when other elected officials speaking at the event spoke about Beau Biden, praising who he was and his military service.
Speaking more generally about Memorial Day, Biden told attendees, "Folks, every year we come together to remember, to remember, to remember the brave women and men who gave their all for this nation, or as Lincoln called it, the last full measure of devotion," Biden said.
He added, "They laid down their lives so we could live our lives in peace, and maybe the most important word with possibilities. And I know, I know I speak for everyone here, and — when I say, we remember them every single day, not just this day, but every day."
The former president spoke forcefully about providing services to veterans, saying that those who served and have passed deserve that honor.
"So today, let's renew our pledge to honor our heroes. I mean, sincerely renew our pledge to honor our heroes... I get really angry when I hear about, [claims that] veterans are seeking too much. They're not enough!" Biden said, adding that is why he wrote legislation relating to Gold Star families and others.
Biden's remarks were also his first after the release of the the book "Original Sin", written by journalists Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, which alleges Biden had physical and mental impairments while president that were covered up by people in his inner circle.
Spokespeople for Biden have said nothing in "Original Sin" shows that Biden did not do his job or that there was any cover-up. Biden. In an appearance on ABC's "The View" earlier this month, Biden pushed back on a slate of books making claims about his mental acuity, with the former president saying, "They are wrong. There's nothing to sustain that."
ABC News' Jon Garcia contributed to this report.
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