President Joe Biden and his campaign are grappling with the aftermath of a tumultuous debate performance on Thursday night. When asked about Democrats' worries regarding his performance, Biden dismissed concerns, remarking, "It’s tough to... tough to debate a liar." Speaking to reporters at a Waffle House in Atlanta post-debate, he added, "The New York Times highlighted that he lied 26 times
When asked about his health, as his campaign had indicated concerns, Biden attributed his struggles to a sore throat.
"I believe we performed adequately," Biden informed journalists.
The inquiry arose because during the debate, Biden stumbled, fumbled, and occasionally became incoherent, trailing off at times. This issue was particularly evident in the initial minutes of the debate.
"I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence," remarked Trump early in the debate after one of these moments. "I don’t think he knows what he said either."
In another instance, Biden concluded a faltering response with "We finally beat Medicare," before trailing off.
"He talked about it so much!" Trump retorted.
Biden has faced questions about his mental acuity for years but has largely managed to deflect them enough to satisfy his supporters.
"Nothing said today by any Republican or conservative can overshadow the challenges President Biden faced last night," said Colin Reed, a Republican strategist and former campaign manager for U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., and co-founder of South and Hill Strategies, to The Center Square. "He had a low bar to clear, and he did not come close to achieving it. Never before in American presidential history has one event had the potential to so quickly and comprehensively alter the race's dynamics."
Following the debate, CNN analysts, Democratic strategists, and liberal media outlets all reported panic within the party due to Biden's lackluster performance.
Among those most concerned are Democrats in closely contested races and swing states, where a weak performance by the Democratic president could jeopardize their own elections.
"Watch those Democrats in red states fighting for reelection," Reed cautioned The Center Square. "Besides the Biden family, they are the most at risk and vulnerable to the long-term political fallout if things start to unravel."
Politico immediately declared Biden "done for" on Thursday night.
The New York Times critiqued Biden's "hesitant" performance.
Columnist Tom Friedman of The New York Times published an article with a scathing headline: "President Biden is my friend. He must step aside from the race."
During CNN's post-debate analysis, Democratic commentator Van Jones described Biden's performance as painful, prompting others to question whether Biden should withdraw to pave the way for another candidate.
A Quinnipiac poll released the day before the debate showed Trump leading Biden by four points.