The response to the first presidential debate has been swift on both sides. Fact checkers have issued corrections for statements made by both candidates, but it’s President Joe Biden’s performance getting the most attention. His performance on the debate stage has put in question his future ability as president, as some Democrats are reportedly calling for him to step aside.
News outlets in their recaps of the debate describe Biden as stumbling and seeming to ramble during his responses. The Biden campaign acknowledged the president came into the debate with a cold, admitting he had a slow start. Vice President Kamala Harris appearing on news programs following the debate to vouch for the president.
At one point, former President Donald Trump questioned whether Biden understood his own response to a question on the border.
Trump replied, “I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence. I don’t think he knows what he said either.”
David Axelrod, a top adviser to former President Barack Obama, spoke of the concerns from Democrats during CNN’s post-debate coverage.
“There is a sense of shock at how he came out at the beginning of this debate,” Axelrod said. “How his voice sounded; he seemed a little disoriented. There are going to be discussions about whether he should continue.”
On Friday, June 28, Biden campaign spokesperson Seth Schuster texted The Hill, “Of course he’s not dropping out.”
The Trump campaign declared victory after the debate, issuing a statement saying Biden was unable to defend his “disastrous record on the economy and the border.”