Evan Davis

I think in his inner circle, they really are not at peace, actually, with him dropping out. He said in recent interviews that he believes he could have prevailed over Trump. And actually, that is not supported by any of the polls that we see. I interviewed Biden back in January of last year, and I asked him at one point, was there ever a moment when you

considered dropping out and not running for a second term. And he said immediately, no, I never thought about it. He was determined to run, even though there were these indications that people didn't want it.

considered dropping out and not running for a second term. And he said immediately, no, I never thought about it. He was determined to run, even though there were these indications that people didn't want it.

Yeah, I think what's clear is that there are days when he seems fine. And then now we have come to see that there are clearly days. When he is slower, older, not able to take a full slate of meetings. But the person that was on that stage on that fateful night, June 27th of last year, in the debate with Donald Trump, it became, in a sense, inescapable news.

Yeah, I think what's clear is that there are days when he seems fine. And then now we have come to see that there are clearly days. When he is slower, older, not able to take a full slate of meetings. But the person that was on that stage on that fateful night, June 27th of last year, in the debate with Donald Trump, it became, in a sense, inescapable news.

to his political team that there was no way they were going to rebuild his reputation. But that performance was a shock because it was not anything that people around him were accustomed to seeing. I think the way these declines are not linear, but when they happen, they can be quite shocking.

to his political team that there was no way they were going to rebuild his reputation. But that performance was a shock because it was not anything that people around him were accustomed to seeing. I think the way these declines are not linear, but when they happen, they can be quite shocking.

I think that over time, presidents in the American tradition tend to improve in public memory. People like George W. Bush, who left with a lower approval rating, in fact, than Joe Biden is leaving with, have tended to get a little better in memory.

I think that over time, presidents in the American tradition tend to improve in public memory. People like George W. Bush, who left with a lower approval rating, in fact, than Joe Biden is leaving with, have tended to get a little better in memory.

The challenge for Biden, however, is that he doesn't leave office in his 50s or his 60s the way some of his predecessors did, which left them decades behind. to improve their reputation through humanitarian work or diplomatic expeditions. He will have to be judged ultimately.

The challenge for Biden, however, is that he doesn't leave office in his 50s or his 60s the way some of his predecessors did, which left them decades behind. to improve their reputation through humanitarian work or diplomatic expeditions. He will have to be judged ultimately.

And one of the things he said in his farewell speech was that the seeds have been planted, meaning things like infrastructure investments or advanced manufacturing. And over time, people may come to reward his reputation for that, but it'll take a long time.

And one of the things he said in his farewell speech was that the seeds have been planted, meaning things like infrastructure investments or advanced manufacturing. And over time, people may come to reward his reputation for that, but it'll take a long time.

Okay, so you're really looking at the DNA in the blood. And so if I have a tumour, for example... That will have some DNA and that will be everywhere. You can take a blood sample and effectively you'll find a little bit of DNA from the tumour in my blood.

Okay, so you're really looking at the DNA in the blood. And so if I have a tumour, for example... That will have some DNA and that will be everywhere. You can take a blood sample and effectively you'll find a little bit of DNA from the tumour in my blood.

So this test doesn't just say we found evidence of some tumour somewhere. It gives you more detail on that.

So this test doesn't just say we found evidence of some tumour somewhere. It gives you more detail on that.

Is anyone thinking about the world in which, say, this blood test works? You might expect people will start saying, you know, if it's just a blood test, I want one every two months. What are you envisaging as the way we use it? Only where we have a suspicion or that there may be a cancer or...

Is anyone thinking about the world in which, say, this blood test works? You might expect people will start saying, you know, if it's just a blood test, I want one every two months. What are you envisaging as the way we use it? Only where we have a suspicion or that there may be a cancer or...

Now, I think one of the most interesting things you talk about in this book is the link between people's feelings about smell and their worldview, their political view, to a very large extent. Just explain to us what's going on here, why there would be a link between my smell and my politics.