Biden’s performance in the debate raises concerns for Democrats

TFD – President Joe Biden’s recent debate performance has sparked concern among leading Democrats, questioning his ability to lead the party in the 2024 election. Biden’s moments of hesitation and his struggle to counter former President Donald Trump’s attacks have left many wondering if he can effectively carry the Democratic ticket.

Leading Democrats are clearly concerned with President Joe Biden’s debate performance, with some openly doubting his ability to lead the Democratic ticket.

He seems a little lost. As the conversation continued, he did became more powerful. However, I believe the fear had already begun by then, stated veteran Democratic strategist and CNN senior political analyst David Axelrod.

Additionally, Axelrod voiced a discussion that many Democrats were having on Thursday night when he said, “There are going to be discussions about whether he should continue.”

Campaign and party leaders cited Biden’s condemnation of former President Donald Trump on the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol as the time the president found his footing after a rough start to the evening. They also cited as high moments Biden’s remarks on climate change and the discussion of Trump’s alleged disparaging remarks about veterans, and they maintained that the president became better as the evening went on. Vice President Kamala Harris conceded that the president got off to a “slow start.”

What we witnessed tonight was the president clearly contrasting himself with Donald Trump on every issue that the American people care about. Sure, the start was a little slow, but the finale was excellent. Harris stated in an interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, “And what became very clear throughout the course of the night is that Joe Biden is fighting on behalf of the American people – on substance, on policy, and on performance.”

When Cooper pressed Harris about Biden’s performance, Harris defended her boss.

“Style points are up for argument, but in the end, this election and the choice of the US president must come down to content. She pointed to his more extensive record in government and stated, “And the contrast is evident.”

“It started off slowly. That much is clear to all. Harris remarked, “I’m not going to argue that point.

Since he made the decision to run for president a third time in 2019, Biden has dealt with several inquiries concerning his age. At the end of a possible second term, he would be 86 years old, making him the oldest president in history at 81. The president was put to the test on Thursday during the CNN presidential debate, and Democratic sources who were watching the event expressed a range of feelings over Joe Biden’s biggest weakness, from worry to outright terror.

The president seemed to have voice problems almost from the beginning of the discussion. Biden repeatedly cleared his throat or coughed, a symptom that his physician has previously identified as acid reflux. Additionally, several sources told CNN that he has been fighting from a cold lately.

Biden frequently tended to stare at Trump with his mouth agape when he was speaking. He sometimes found it difficult to complete his sentences or deliver a punch, giving in on topics where Democrats are more favorable, like abortion.

After the debate, while visiting customers at a Waffle House, Biden dismissed worries about his performance in the debate, saying reporters he thought he did well.

According to Biden, “I think we did well.”

When asked about calls for him to drop out and if he had any concerns about his debate performance, Biden attacked former president Donald Trump.

Biden remarked, “No, it’s hard to debate a liar,” while mentioning his sore throat.

The debate on Thursday took place prior to the official nominations of Biden and Trump at their respective party conventions. August 19 is the date of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

As of right now in the campaign, Biden is the only viable Democratic opponent for the nomination; if Democrats choose to select someone else, Biden would have to choose to withdraw. The Democratic nomination would be chosen on the floor in the event that Biden withdrew.

An operative with more than ten years of experience working on campaigns at all levels stated, “It’s hard to argue that Biden should be our nominee.”

Democrats even opined as to who might be in place of it: “If I were Gretchen Whitmer or Gavin Newsom, I’d be making calls tonight,” one remarked.

Following the discussion, Newsom rejected demands that Biden be dropped off the Democratic ticket.

“I refuse to abandon President Biden. In response to a question regarding rumors that some Democrats may be considering challenging Biden as the party’s nominee, he stated, “I never turn my back on President Biden, and I don’t know a Democrat in my party that would do so.”

A politician called it a “disaster” to CNN. Even though Trump is lying at a sixty miles per hour, he is coming out as sensible. Biden cannot be understood.

“We are f**ked,” uttered by a Democrat who has worked on campaigns all the way down the ballot.

Prior to Biden The 2020 deputy campaign manager and head of White House communications, Kate Bedingfield, is a political pundit for CNN and called Biden’s performance in Thursday’s matchup “atypically bad.”

The main thing he needed to demonstrate to the people of America was that he was physically and mentally strong. Even while she characterized the performance as one bad night with plenty of campaigning still to go, Bedingfield remarked, “And he didn’t do that.”

Several Democrats responded to Biden’s speaking style.

“Biden has an awful appearance and voice. According to a Democrat who was employed by the Biden administration, “He’s incoherent.

“Amazing,” exclaimed a second Democratic strategist.

Observing the debate, Democratic legislators voiced concern that the president did not confront Trump’s falsehoods with greater vigor or adequately articulate his own vision and accomplishments for the nation.

The moment near the start of the debate when Biden was talking about the national debt and seemed to lose his train of thought and pause for several seconds before offering a confusing answer was extremely tough, a Democratic congressman who was present at a watch party on Capitol Hill with other members told CNN.

The congressman added that the room fell silent in amazement and that his first thought was that he wanted to jump off a bridge. When asked to sum up the watch party’s assessments, the participant replied that, in general, he and his colleagues felt that Trump looked young and Biden old, and that Trump was primarily playing offensive while Biden was primarily playing defense.

One senior Democrat stated, “He and Jill need to hear what folks are saying” following the discussion, “rather than deny them.”

Democrats are particularly concerned that Biden did not “punch back” on Trump‘s lies, and that Trump appeared more composed than normal.

I believe that Joe is performing better than he did during the first fifteen minutes of the debate, and Trump is just lying to win the argument. Midway into the debate, a legislator remarked, “But I wish Joe was a lot stronger punching back.”

It wasn’t very good. So you take this action in June for that reason. Between now and election day, a thousand things will happen,” remarked a senior Democrat.

Officials from the Democratic Party questioned why Biden failed to criticize Trump’s remarks at other times, especially when it came to abortion.

The evening was summed up by a fellow Democrat in a text message that read, “Strong on substance, but agonizing presentation.”

Prior to the debate, Biden’s advisors expressed optimism that a larger number of Americans will view and pay attention to more than the few videos of the senator on social media that portray him as weak and helpless. There is now a genuine fear that the scene in which he seemed to lose his train of thought may be one of those videos that becomes extremely popular.