Let us be honest. Optically, at least, President Biden had a bad performance at the first Presidential Debate of 2024.
He appeared lost and rambling, especially in the first few moments of the event. Watching him, it looked like he was suffering from a combination of being overprepared and a cold he had recently developed.
Historically, it is important to remember that incumbent Presidents like Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump all had poor first debate performances.
Remember Reagan, the second Bush, and Obama all wound up winning reelection.
President Biden improved in his presentation as the debate progressed. Most of Biden’s responses to questions were on point and accurate – in contrast to Trump. His best moments were calling Trump a felon, a whiner, a sucker, a loser and a liar. Biden told Trump he “had the morals of an alley cat” and defended our country from Trump’s many falsehoods.
Donald Trump, for his part, was a braying ass. He performed for his base, spewing the same lies and grotesque statements that have been discredited by fact-checkers for years.
Trump also utterly failed to answer most of the questions put to him, including childcare or fentanyl. He falsely blamed Jan. 6, 2021, on the Mayor of Washington, DC and Nancy Pelosi. Trump vomited his many lies about the economy, immigrants, law and order, America’s standing in the world, late-term abortions, and the state of the country.
The moderators had to ask him three times if he would accept the election results until he finally gave a vaguely worded conditional “yes.”
That the moderators, CNN’s Dana Bash and Jake Tapper, did not point out Trump’s constant lies was a disservice to the American People.
Post-debate analysis
Fortunately, CNN did a stellar post-debate analysis of Mr. Trump’s trips into fantasyland.
Furthermore, the initial reaction of most of the individuals in focus groups on CNN and MSNBC seemed to recognize that pretty much all of what Trump said were stinking lies and total bull fecal matter. He did not appear to win many if any, new voters this evening.
That said, they also felt President Biden looked bad. However, unlike Trump, whom most of them loathed, they had sympathy for Biden and recognized him as decent and honorable.
To their credit, Vice President Kamala Harris and California Governor Gavin Newsom, both appearing on CNN and MSNBC following the debate, acknowledged the President had a bad start, but Trump’s performance was repellent from beginning to end.
Vice President Harris pointed out that, unlike Trump, “President Biden has the endorsement of his Vice President.”
Newsom said that it was nonsense to abandon the person “that brought you to the dance” with his substantial record of accomplishment after “one bad performance.”
Newsom is right.
You do not abandon the person that brought you to the dance after one poor performance.
I am still with Joe Biden
I am with the President who has a remarkable list of achievements, does not, unlike the other guy, have a criminal and impeachment record, speaks optimistically about the country like Humphrey and Reagan, and will fight, unlike the other guy, for the people, freedom, and Democracy.
This situation is similar in some respects to 1948 when Democrats looked for other candidates, including Dwight Eisenhower, to run against Thomas Dewey because they did not think Truman could win.
Truman got the nomination, and he won against Dewey.
While time will tell what will happen in 2024, Democrats should not panic now.
Remember the other guy has a date with a judge on July 11 and his poll numbers are slipping after his 34 convictions.
With his great multitude of lies and outlandish statements, he also had a horrible debate performance tonight and did not appear to sway anyone to his side.
So, do not panic. There is still time to reset this.
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Just rewatched a few minutes of the “debate”. It doesn’t age well.
If that was your great-grandpa on that stage you’d take away his keys.
You wouldn’t allow him on the road where he may hurt himself or others, hoping he won’t have another “bad day”.
If he was CEO of a company, the board would have him step down. If he was a surgeon….
Based on their ages, the POTUS 47 will likely get at least one SCOTUS nom, and the current corrupt SCOTUS just ruled that a sitting POTUS could maybe shoot someone on 5th Avenue and then hit the Mickey-D’s drive through for a Big Mac on his way home.
But we’re going to let gramps keep his Corvette?
“Corvette” being a stand in for America, Democracy, women’s and minority rights, and world peace.
Because that’s what the Dems have been telling me is at stake.
And we’re going to hope that young people will turn out to vote for a guy they have nothing in common with, and hope that doesn’t impact down ballot races?
The “debate” is going to be in every MAGA ad on every screen in a few months, all day and night.
Don’t shoot the messenger, I still have scars from 2016, where even thinking quietly to oneself that HRC may not be super-great got you screamed at and blacklisted.
I don’t need a list of why Joe’s great and the rapist is bad.
Or a history lesson on Obama’s first debate, because it’s apples and not apples.
I’ll vote Dem no matter what.
I’d just feel better if we weren’t rolling the dice because no one wants to hurt their dad’s dad’s dad’s feelings.
CNN says the debate had 51 million viewers.
It was a huge mistake. There was too much pressure on Biden to prove he is a clear thinking, youthful octogenarian who is fit to serve another term.
Biden is not a good speaker. His voice is usually raspy and low and his cadence is horrible, much too fast. He rambles and gives the impression that he isn’t filtering his thoughts before he speaks.
MSM hyped the debate as though two rhetorical giants would take the stage. They said Trump was taking it “seriously” seeming to suggest he wouldn’t turn it into one of his Klan rallies. They were wrong.
Dems are supporting Biden in damage control mode, but all of this additional pressure can’t be good for Biden’s health. I hope they are taking that into consideration.
After the first day of the Battle of Shiloh the Union troops came out on the losing end. That night Union General Grant acknowledged that and his response was “Yup! Whip them tomorrow though.” And turned a potential Union defeat into a Union victory.
The naysayers harping on President Biden’s debate performance (may have been aggravated by a sore throat and poor microphone levels) should take note that though we had a setback the election battle is by no means over. And still winnable.
Bottom line – in the worst case scenario, the VP candidates will matter and Harris, while not perfect, is clearly better than anyone Cheeto will pick.
And even if he didn’t look good at the debate, Biden is a better human being than Cheeto.
Easy choice on who to vote for.
One thing that I agree with you on. Biden must stay in this race.
Hi John. I think I will let Mark Hamil’s comments speak for me on this one.
One off night doesn’t change the fact that
@JoeBiden
is the most legislatively successful
@POTUS
in our lifetime. One off night also doesn’t change the fact that the former guy is a convicted felon, serial liar & adjudicated rapist who is unfit for ANY office. Period.
Have a great Fourth of July, John.
Here is a question for you John. How do you account for the fact that Mr. Trump’s Vice President, Secretary of Defense, Chief of Staff, Communications Director, and National Security Advisor will not be voting for him this cycle? Biden has the loyalty of all his team. How does Trump earn such ridicule and disdain from the people who worked for him? I guess having your supporters chanting Hang Mike Pence on the way to the Capitol does not help. I would like to see how you spin this. I am really surprised you support this guy John, being former law and enforcement. How many Capitol Police were injured and died on January 6 because of what Mr. ’34 time convicted, twice impeached, and liable for sexual assault and business fraud’ instigated. Is your party’s lust for power so great that you would make a Faustian Bargain with a person twice endorsed by former KKK head David Duke?
Forget about debates. That was no debate. You cannot have a normal intelligent debate when one candidate is an egregiously unstable fabulist and breaks all the rules by not answering a single question, and the other candidate tries to answer the questions diplomatically while getting interrupted, and no moderators calling out bad behavior and the many lies put forth.
No one can do that and appear to be not shaken and stirred. there is not enuf time to cover the stream of chaotic talking points of a bombastic bully to an intelligible conclusion as the tactic like a Gish is meant to cause confusion. It’s a cowards way to play.
Moderators were no where to be found. This is a spectacle only as in witnessing a monkey throw its feces at onlookers.
It is not time to push for replacing Joe Biden but we ought to be ready if it comes to pass. Kamala Harris is the obvious alternative. If it comes to running against Donald Trump her campaign can say: “Not a criminal. Not old. Experienced at writing laws and enforcing order. Knowledgeable about women’s health issues. Skillful at making convincing arguments. Well informed about current world and domestic affairs.” And by the way will never have to say “I did not have sex with a porn star”.
I’m glad you’ve found a “don’t lose hope message.” My young progressive daughters who are top of their class at U of A, are less than enthusiastic about Biden even before the horrible showing tonight. They’ve voted in the last cycle. I doubt they’ll bother this time around in spite of what we are telling them.
My only advice for your daughters is if they want to definitely live in a country where their rights are continually eroded, then sure, sit this election out. I am honestly stunned that young people do not recognize Biden’s considerable achievements and the threats, based on history and his words, Trump represents.