Former President Donald J. Trump persistently launched fierce and often misleading attacks on a faltering President Biden during a 90-minute debate Thursday night, providing millions of viewers with a sharp contrast in this high-stakes rematch. Mr. Biden’s performance was repeatedly unclear and disjointed.
Biden took the stage with a soft, halting voice and a blank, open-mouthed stare. He struggled to finish his thoughts at times, conceding ground on key issues like abortion where Democrats typically have the upper hand.
It only took a few minutes for Democrats to realize how dire the situation was becoming.
“Biden looks and sounds terrible. He’s incoherent,” one Democrat who had worked in the Biden administration told CNN . “Horrific,” remarked another Democratic operative.
A Democrat with extensive campaign experience bluntly stated, “We are f***ed.”
As the debate ended, an existential question loomed: Should someone else lead the Democratic ticket?
“It’s hard to argue that Biden should be our nominee,” said an operative with over a decade of campaign experience.
At 78, Mr. Trump made wild claims and frequently lied, unrepentant about his distorted assertions regarding the 2020 election, while steering clear of a grievance-filled tirade. Meanwhile, Mr. Biden, 81, spoke hurriedly and seemed to wander through his responses, stumbling at the end of sentences, even as he labeled Mr. Trump a liar and a danger to democracy.
Biden’s supporters had hoped he would effectively communicate a clear and concise stance on immigration to counter former President Trump’s attacks on this politically sensitive topic. However, the result was underwhelming.
“He adhered to his official position. I think he could’ve articulated it more forcefully,” a source close to the White House told CNN. “He needs to remind the American public of his record, both on the border and in aiding long-term undocumented individuals. He hasn’t done that yet,” another source remarked, calling Biden’s unsolicited mention of immigration during a response about abortion “awkward and unhelpful.”
Polls indicate that immigration remains a crucial issue for voters, with Biden consistently trailing Trump on this topic. Recently, the White House took several steps to challenge Trump, announcing measures to curb border crossings and extending protections to undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens.
Biden’s advisers did not consider immigration the defining issue but prepared the president to address it if raised, including highlighting administrative actions and the border security bill that Trump previously obstructed. During Thursday’s debate, Biden repeatedly mentioned the border bill when discussing immigration, blaming Trump for its failure.
“Given the limited time, he hit one of the key points — when he collaborated with Congress to pass a bipartisan border bill, Trump sabotaged it. And he reminded people that Trump’s legacy includes family separation,” an immigrant advocate told CNN.
However, the advocate added, “Biden needs to refine his messaging because he has significant achievements to highlight, including moral leadership on the issue.”
