Democratic concerns were raised after U.S. President Joe Biden’s lackluster performance against Republican rival Donald Trump on Thursday, leading some strategists to consider whether the party should replace him as their candidate.
Supporters of Biden had hoped that the debate on Thursday night would dispel concerns about his age, but the 90-minute clash seemed to have the opposite effect.
While Biden’s allies tried to downplay the evening’s events by attributing his performance to a cold, his fellow Democrats were rattled, and voter apprehensions about the 81-year-old’s ability to serve another term are likely to increase. One prominent Biden donor, speaking anonymously in criticism of the president, described his performance as “disqualifying” and anticipated renewed calls for him to step aside before the party’s national convention in August.
In a post-debate CNN appearance, Vice President Kamala Harris acknowledged Biden’s slow start but urged voters to assess him and Trump based on their records in office over the past four years rather than focusing solely on the debate performance. Biden struggled with his words and stumbled in the early stages of the debate but gained momentum halfway through when he criticized Trump’s actions. Both candidates faced pressure to demonstrate their fitness for office, with Biden facing scrutiny over his age and Trump’s inflammatory language and legal troubles casting doubt on his candidacy. Despite this, Biden’s performance was seen as his primary weakness by political observers.
During the debate, Biden criticized Trump for his involvement in hush money payments and for his role in appointing conservative judges to the Supreme Court. Trump, in turn, accused Biden of failing to address border security issues. The exchange highlighted the contrasting approaches of the two candidates on key issues, further fueling discussions about Biden’s suitability as a presidential candidate.
