Chris Matthews: We don't know what 'condition' Biden is in because he is 'very protected'

Former MSNBC host and political analyst Chris Matthews said Friday that little is known about President Biden’s “condition” following last week's debate due to his having an incredibly tight circle.

“There is a huge distinction between the people who are on the true inside — the true inside — with the candidate or a president, and everybody else in the world,” Matthews said during an MSNBC appearance. “You cannot break through. They are really tight.

"This crowd around the president, and maybe two, three personal aides, even within that area of just very, very small people who are keeping it completely secret,” he added.

Matthews, speaking to Joe Scarborough on "Morning Joe.", made the observation in reference to Biden’s highly-anticipated ABC prime-time appearance with George Stephanopoulos. During the segment, Matthews encouraged the president to “be confident.”

Matthews also indicated that Biden’s tight circle of staff may have negatively impacted the president’s public persona.

“We sit here and don’t know what condition he is in, what episodes have come on, how often the episodes have occurred since maybe the Super Bowl, when they turned down that tremendous opportunity to speak to the country,” he said.

He later added, "This president is very protected.”

Ahead of Biden's Friday night interview, Matthews cautioned that Stephanopoulos would be a “tough” interviewer, adding that Biden’s aides should tell the president to “just stick to the basics, get through this interview, and work on the conference.”