Concerns about President Joe Biden’s advanced age and cognitive abilities came to the forefront during the first half of Thursday's presidential debate, sparking panic among his supporters and prompting calls from several notable figures for him to be replaced on the ticket.
 |
| U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks during the CNN Presidential Debate at the CNN Studios. PHOTO BY JUSTIN SULLIVAN/GETTY IMAGES |
Biden experienced multiple gaffes and stumbles as the debate began, trailing off at times and mixing up or missing words while responding to his opponent. This was in stark contrast to Trump, who loudly criticized Biden’s perceived failures. Although Biden managed to regain his composure in the second half hour, the damage to his campaign was already evident.
Immediately following the debate, CNN reported that Biden’s incoherence was setting off alarm bells among top Democratic leaders, prompting them to contemplate their next steps. The network’s chyron during the panelist’s post-debate analysis read: “Sources: Dems saying ‘we have a problem’ after Biden’s performance tonight.”
The sentiment quickly spread across X, formerly known as Twitter, with some questioning whether Biden should continue his campaign. Names of top Democrats were floated as potential replacement candidates, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Newsom discussed the debate and the ensuing Biden panic in an interview with MSNBC after the event.
I wish Biden would reflect on this debate performance and then announce his decision to withdraw from the race, throwing the choice of Democratic nominee to the convention. Someone like @gretchenwhitmer or @SherrodBrown or @SecRaimondo could still jump in and beat Trump.
— Nicholas Kristof (@NickKristof) June 28, 2024
“I think it’s unhelpful, and I think it’s unnecessary,” Newsom remarked regarding the panic over Biden’s performance. “We’ve got to remain committed. Keep our spirits high. And, as I've said, we must stand behind this president.”
Despite the governor’s perspective, the concern over Biden’s performance reverberated strongly online. Here are some tweets from Democrats and members of the press who expressed disbelief or dismay at Biden’s performance on Thursday:
American political and corporate strategist Steve Schmidt tweeted, “Biden will be a one-term president. He still has the chance to watch a Democrat be inaugurated. There are 68 days until the DNC. Whitmer/Moore beats Trump.”
Biden will be a one-term president. He still has the chance to watch a Democrat be inaugurated. There are 68 days until the DNC. Whitmer/Moore beats Trump.
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) June 28, 2024
The tension surrounding Biden's weak performance was palpable at the Aspen Ideas Festival, known for gathering some of the most inspired and provocative minds.
Sarah Longwell, head of Republicans Against Trump, addressed the festival amid both cheers and boos: “I want Trump to lose more than anything in the world, but this is an unmitigated disaster. This was a critical night for Biden. He didn’t show up. You can’t deny what people saw — a man who is too old to be president. He was up against a lunatic, a liar, and a man who is clearly unfit. But Trump is poised to win unless we take drastic action. We can’t ignore what just happened.”
This is the most stressful debate I’ve ever watched and my parent was a nominee against Obama. #DebateNight
Pollster Celinda Lake offered a contrasting perspective, urging people not to lose hope and to intensify the fight against Trump. “This is a winnable fight,” she asserted. “The polls are close. Most people don’t even watch debates.”
