Stirewalt: Joe Biden campaign rollout was 'quite successful'

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Chris Stirewalt on Joe Biden's 'successful' presidential campaign rollout: He hit his marks very nicely

Despite some skepticism, former Vice President Joe Biden outraised and 'out-bumped' Bernie Sanders, says Fox News digital politics editor Chris Stirewalt.

Fox News digital politics editor Chris Stirewalt Tuesday praised the start of former Vice President Joe Biden's 2020 campaign, noting his high fundraising and polling numbers.

"He did what he needed to do. His rollout was quite successful," Stirewalt said during an appearance on "America's Newsroom."

Biden announced his candidacy on Thursday with a message blasting President Donald Trump for his conduct in office.

Within the first 24 hours, Biden's campaign raised $6.3 million — outpacing his competitors Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and former Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-Texas — with 96,926 individuals who "chipped in" on the first day.

"He raised more money than anybody else had raised, which is saying something because Bernie Sanders can Hoover up small dollar donations like nobody in history," Stirewalt told Fox News host Sandra Smith.

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Biden has repeatedly led other 2020 candidates in polling before he even announced. In a national poll released at the end of April, Biden got a 24-point lead over Sanders. The RealClearPolitics polling average also gave Biden a substantial lead for the Democratic nomination.

Stirewalt remarked that Biden's rollout was successful even though some observers were skeptical. "Biden, despite a lot of skepticism about how he was going to start out, Joe Biden hit his marks very nicely for the beginning of his campaign," he said, mentioning a "very successful" town hall event in Pittsburgh.

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Before Biden's announcement, he encountered controversy over his conduct during the Anita Hill hearings in 1991, as well as several allegations that he inappropriately touched women.

Biden said that in a private conversation with Hill, he expressed regret for the way her hearing was conducted. He did not, however, apologize for his own actions because, he said, he didn't treat her "badly."

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In a video message posted to Twitter, Biden also said he didn't think he touched anyone in an inappropriate way but said he would "listen respectfully" to concerns.

"And not once — never — did I believe I acted inappropriately.  If it is suggested I did so, I will listen respectfully. But it was never my intention," he said.