A wounded Joe Biden sought to get his reelection campaign back on track Friday after a debate performance that unnerved supporters and left Donald Trump’s allies gleeful.
Democrats had hoped to see the president confidently addressing critics who say he is too old for a second term while hammering Trump on his criminal record and the threat he poses to democracy.
Instead, many acknowledged, they witnessed a faltering display from a candidate who sounded hoarse for much of the debate, stumbled over words, pulled punches, often stared open-mouthed, and looked confused.
“There are no two ways about it — that was not a good debate for Joe Biden,” Democratic former White House communications chief Kate Bedingfield told CNN.
David Axelrod, a senior advisor in Barack Obama’s administration, said Biden’s performance had “confirmed people’s fears” about an 81-year-old being too old for the Oval Office.
The president, who had spent days in mock debates at his Camp David retreat, planned to start his recovery effort Friday with his largest campaign event yet in the battleground state of North Carolina.
**‘Sore throat’**
Facing tough questions over his performance and immediate future, he told reporters he had done “well” as he stopped off at an Atlanta Waffle House with First Lady Jill Biden after coming off stage.
He added that he was hoarse because of a “sore throat” and that, in any case, it is “hard to debate a liar.”
Although Biden managed to pin down Trump on abortion rights and his role in the 2021 violence at the Capitol, he waited almost 45 minutes to bring up Trump’s felony convictions and other legal issues in any detail.
He spoke under his breath and appeared to lose focus at times, pausing for several seconds after stumbling in the opening stages.
Trump’s performance was far from flawless — his statements were riddled with falsehoods, and he dodged questions about the opioid crisis.
He also refused to commit clearly to accepting the results of the upcoming election, reinforcing concerns about his respect for democracy and the rule of law.
CNN reported that while Biden made nine false or misleading statements, Trump made 30, including “egregious” falsehoods on abortion, the US Capitol insurrection, health care, and NATO.
But the Republican — who countered Biden’s rally with an appearance in Virginia on Friday — largely avoided the rhetorical landmines that Biden encountered.
**A Biden replacement?**
At one point, the president oddly declared that “we finally beat Medicare,” as the discussion turned to funding the health insurance program for seniors.
As Democrats registered their disappointment with Biden’s performance, talk emerged of finding a new candidate before the Democratic convention in August.
“There’s been a lot of chatter in our circles about Newsom,” one party strategist told The Hill, although California Governor Gavin Newsom quickly shut down suggestions that he could replace Biden.
In the Trump camp, pundits reveled in the night’s outcome.
Keith Nahigian, a Republican veteran of six campaigns, told AFP that Biden’s performance was “the worst I’ve ever seen.”
“Biden called for this debate a few months ago. He pushed for this debate. I think he just sunk his presidency,” he added.
Ralph Reed, chairman of the conservative Faith and Freedom Coalition, compared the debate to a prize fight “that should have been stopped in the early rounds.”
