The political landscape is ablaze with fervor as Democrats grapple with the aftermath of President Joe Biden’s recent debate performance.
However, there is a question that needs to be asked after Biden’s performance.
Who’s running things?
Ok are we all going to stop pretending like Joe Biden is actually running the country?
— ALX 🇺🇸 (@alx) June 28, 2024
Biden’s performance was marked by hesitations and stumbles, raising questions about his vitality and readiness for the rigorous demands of the presidency.
If an 81-year-old person applied for a job at your company and appeared as Biden did on stage, would they even be granted an interview?
— Andy Kaczynski (@KFILE) June 28, 2024
Democrats and left-wing journalists entered full-blown panic mode following the first presidential debate in the 2024 rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. The debate, a high-stakes event, was marked by Biden’s faltering performance, which left many in his party deeply concerned about his ability to lead them to victory.
Veteran debate moderator Chris Wallace talking about Biden's performance: "You can't come back" from this. "You can't be on a stage where tens of millions of Americans watched you, and come up empty, and that's what he did tonight." pic.twitter.com/9q1qhpE9qu
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) June 28, 2024
Biden’s answers were often raspy and mumbled, punctuated by personal insults and questionable claims directed at Trump. In contrast, Trump, known for his typically hyper and combative debate style, seemed to benefit from CNN’s format. The absence of an audience and the control of microphone interruptions allowed Trump to remain composed, often smiling while Biden struggled.
The debate format turned out to be disastrous for Biden. In the quiet, empty room, he appeared to stumble over his thoughts, often searching for coherent answers. The pressure seemed to overwhelm him at times, leading to several awkward moments that did not go unnoticed.
Former CNN blogger Chris Cillizza expressed his shock on social media, writing, “This debate was a total and complete disaster for Biden. He looked old. His answers trailed off repeatedly. He was hard to understand. He would stop mid-sentence and move on to something else. I NEVER thought he would be this bad. Stunning. Truly.”
Maria Shriver, a member of the Kennedy family, echoed this sentiment on X, saying, “I love Joe Biden. I know he’s a good man. I know his heart is good. I know he’s dedicated to our country and is surrounded by good people. Tonight was heartbreaking in many ways. This is a big political moment. There’s panic in the Democratic party. It’s going to be a long night.”
Journalist Yashar Ali added to the chorus of concern, noting, “I am in multiple large group texts with Democratic operatives, elected officials, staffers, and donors. Not one of them feels good about Biden’s performance tonight in terms of style, his voice etc. And these are people who aggressively defend him.”
Amy Walter, Publisher & Editor-in-Chief of Cook Political Report, highlighted the broader implications, stating, “Remember, the whole reason Biden wanted this debate was to show a contrast with Trump and to make this a referendum on Trump. Instead, only thing we’re talking about is Biden’s poor performance.”
CNN host Kasie Hunt also pointed out the stark visual and vocal contrast between Biden and Trump, noting that many Democrats she spoke with were nearly beside themselves watching the debate.
New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof went further, suggesting Biden should consider withdrawing from the race: “I wish Biden would reflect on this debate performance and then announce his decision to withdraw from the race, throwing the choice of Democratic nominee to the convention. Someone like Gretchen Whitmer or Sherrod Brown or Gina Raimondo could still jump in and beat Trump.”
Even former Democratic presidential and mayoral candidate Andrew Yang weighed in, stating it was time to remove Biden from the ticket. “Look I debated Joe 7 times in 2020. He’s a different guy in 2024,” he posted on X with the hashtag #swapJoeout.
