Biden Struggles in Debate, Trump Allies Rejoice
President Joe Biden faced a tough crowd Friday as he attempted to regain momentum for his reelection campaign following a debate performance that left supporters uneasy and Trump allies celebrating.
Democrats had hoped for a robust showing from Biden, countering claims of his advanced age and targeting Trump on his criminal record and perceived threats to democracy. Instead, Biden’s performance was marred by a hoarse voice, verbal missteps, and moments of apparent confusion.
Former White House communications chief Kate Bedingfield acknowledged on CNN, “There are no two ways about it — that was not a good debate for Joe Biden.” David Axelrod, a senior advisor during Barack Obama’s presidency, commented that Biden’s display “confirmed people’s fears” about his age.
Despite days of preparation at Camp David, Biden’s debate performance fell short. On Friday, he attempted to bounce back with a major campaign event in North Carolina.
‘Sore Throat’ Explanation
Addressing his performance and future plans, Biden told reporters he felt he had done “well” and attributed his hoarseness to a sore throat, remarking, “It’s hard to debate a liar.”
While Biden successfully challenged Trump on issues like abortion rights and the 2021 Capitol violence, he took almost 45 minutes to highlight Trump’s legal troubles. Biden’s delivery was often subdued, and he occasionally lost focus.
Trump’s Mixed Performance
Trump, though also criticized for his falsehoods and evasiveness, managed to avoid significant missteps. He dodged questions on the opioid crisis and refused to commit to accepting the November election results, reinforcing concerns about his respect for democracy.
CNN reported that Trump made 30 false or misleading statements during the debate, compared to nine from Biden.
Democratic Concerns
Biden’s performance has stirred concerns among Democrats, with some speculating about a potential new candidate before the Democratic convention in August. Despite this chatter, California Governor Gavin Newsom quickly dismissed the idea of replacing Biden.
Republican strategists, meanwhile, were jubilant. Keith Nahigian, a veteran campaign advisor, described Biden’s debate as “the worst I’ve ever seen,” suggesting it could severely impact his presidency. Ralph Reed, chairman of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, likened the debate to a lopsided fight “that should have been stopped in the early rounds.”
As Biden’s team works to recover from this setback, the road to November promises to be a challenging one.
