AMNA NAWAZ: Welcome to the "NewsHour."

On Thursday, special counsel Robert Hur's# report concluded that no criminal charges## were warranted against President Biden for# his handling of classified documents.

However,## the report made several references# to President Biden's age and called## his memory into question.

The# president shot back last night.

JOE BIDEN, President of the United States:# I'm well-meaning, and I'm an elderly man,## and I know what the hell I'm doing.

I have been# president.

I put this country back on its feet.

AMNA NAWAZ: White House correspondent Laura## Barron-Lopez has been following# all this and joins me now.

Laura, the president spoke directly to the nation## last night about this report in a# very heated press conference.

Why?

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Sources inside the# White House told me that the president## felt compelled to respond, that he wanted# to highlight that there were no charges,## remind people of that, and point out the# differences between the way he handled his## classified documents and the way former President# Donald Trump handled the classified documents,## basically that he cooperated# and immediately gave them back.

Former President Trump didn't.

They also wanted# to dispute what they called editorializing about## his memory and age.

And they thought that it# would be a good time for him to take questions.

AMNA NAWAZ: And he's not being# criminally charged.

So what did## the president highlight from the report, and# what's the White House challenging in there?

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Specifically, the president# wanted to talk about the parts of the report## where Robert Hur, the special counsel, said that# he did not willfully retain classified documents,## talking about classified Afghanistan documents,# as well as others, and that they felt as though## there was no real evidence to say that# the president intentionally did this.

He also got emotional about the parts of the# report that had to do with his son Beau Biden,## specifically that the report said# that the president did not remember,## even within several years, when his son Beau died.

And so the White House was really angered# by that.

The president was angered by that.## And you saw that in his remarks.

The# White House basically universally felt,## everyone in there, the White House# official that I spoke to told me,## that the special counsel -- they felt as# though the special counsel was performing## for -- quote -- "MAGA Republicans," and that it# was time for the president to respond to that.

AMNA NAWAZ: A very strong emotional# response from the president on that.

Well, the White House did# continue to respond today,## and they're announcing a task# force, right?

What will that do?

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: So, this task force is# going to review the presidential transition## process and specifically how classified# documents are handled during that transition.

Transitions can get messy.

They# can get speedy.

People can make## mistakes.

And so Biden is going to# appoint a senior government official## to oversee that new task force# that will make recommendations.

AMNA NAWAZ: And what about# from the wider Democratic## Party?

What's been the response among them?

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Democrats were quick# to point out that the mental fitness and## misspeaking is not just a President Biden# problem, that it is something that is also## a problem for former President Donald Trump,# who has frequently mixed up foreign leaders.

DONALD TRUMP, Former President# of the United States (R) and## did anyone ever hear of him?

He's probably# like o.. in the world.

And he is the leader of -- right?# He's the leader of Turkey, fronts on both Russia.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: So Viktor Orban is not the# leader of Turkey.

He is the leader of Hungary.## And President Trump has also frequently# mixed up Nikki Haley and Nancy Pelosi.

Overall, Amna, Democrats are really upset# about this report.

I spoke to Congresswoman## Debbie Dingell from the swing state of Michigan,# who said that she was so upset that she wanted## to share with me this personal detail that# the President Biden always checks in with## her this week every year, because it's# the anniversary of her husband's death.

She now occupies his seat in Congress.

And# it's also very close to Beau Biden's birthday.

AMNA NAWAZ: This is an issue that# has been plaguing the president,## will likely continue to plague him# through his reelection campaign.

How is this impacting or resonating among voters?

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: So, Democrats admit that## this is going to be something# they have to confront head on.

I spoke to Jim Messina, who ran former# President Barack Obama's 2012 campaign,## and he said that voters need to see more of Biden.

JIM MESSINA, Former Obama White House# Deputy Chief of Staff: Americans are## going to have questions about.. And part of how you address it, as a former# presidential campaign manager, my advice to them## is always, transparency is important here.

People# need to see the president doing his job.

Where Joe## Biden is the best is talking to average Americans.# And the more he can do that, the better off he is.

And I think some of the problem has been,# it's always these kind of scripted moments## or these sort of White House moments.# And voters want to see him out with them## talking about these things.

And I think# the campaign's got to do more of that.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: But I also spoke to a# Democratic state party chair who told me that,## every time that they knock on doors to talk# to voters, voters ask them questions like,## why didn't Joe Biden retire and pass# the torch to the younger generation?

So, across the board, the Democrats# that I spoke to said that the campaign,## that they themselves need to take it on,# take it head on, the president's age.

And## when they take that head on, they tend to# pivot to, with age comes experience, Amna.

AMNA NAWAZ: Laura Barron-Lopez,# thank you, as always.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Thank you.