McDermid and Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters
After a lackluster debate performance that has left many concerned, President Joe Biden is under increasing pressure to consider stepping down from the ticket for the benefit of his party. The debate was seen as a critical opportunity for Biden to demonstrate his readiness for office, but instead, it appears to have only eroded voters’ confidence in his leadership.
Since June 27, Biden’s poll numbers have been steadily declining, prompting a wave of speculation and concern within the Democratic Party. In a surprising twist, former President Donald Trump took to his Truth Social platform to mockingly endorse Biden, suggesting he stay in the race despite many Democrats calling for a new candidate.
According to Mediaite, Trump wrote, “Crooked Joe Biden should ignore his many critics and move forward, with alacrity and strength, with his powerful and far-reaching campaign. He should be sharp, precise, and energetic, just like he was in the debate, in selling his policies of open borders (where millions of people, including record numbers of terrorists, are allowed to enter our country, from prisons and mental institutions, totally unchecked and unvetted!).”
Trump continued his derisive commentary by highlighting Biden’s usual campaign points, adding, “Ending social security, men playing in women’s sports, high taxes, high interest rates, encouraging a woke military, uncontrollable inflation, record-setting crime, only electric vehicles, subservience to China and other countries, endless wars, putting America last, losing our dollar-based standard, and so much more.”
He concluded with a sarcastic flourish, “Yes, Sleepy Joe should continue his campaign of American Destruction and, MAKE CHINA GREAT AGAIN!” Following the debate, which saw the Republican frontrunner emerge as the clear winner, Biden participated in a one-on-one interview with George Stephanopoulos from ABC News.
When questioned about his debate performance, Biden attributed his lackluster showing to exhaustion and illness, revealing that he had even taken a COVID-19 test before the debate. As reported by the Daily Mail, Biden said, “The whole way I prepared, nobody’s fault, mine. Nobody’s fault but mine… I prepared what I usually would do sitting down as I did come back with foreign leaders or National Security Council for explicit detail.”
Biden continued, “And I realized – partway through that, you know, all – I get quoted the New York Times had me down, ten points before the debate, nine now, or whatever the hell it is. The fact of the matter is, what I looked at is that he also lied 28 times. I couldn’t – I mean, the way the debate ran, not – my fault, nobody else’s fault, no one else’s fault.” Despite this attempt to explain his performance, the interview did little to allay concerns within his party.
Questions about his mental acuity for another term persist, and many Democrats fear that his debate performance could seriously damage his candidacy. As the pressure mounts, Biden faces a critical juncture in his political career. The coming weeks will likely determine whether he can regain the confidence of his party and the electorate or if the calls for a new candidate will grow louder.
