President Joe Biden’s debate performance has set off alarm bells among top Democrats, leaving some to openly question whether Biden can stay atop of the Democratic ticket.
“He seemed a little disoriented. He did get stronger as the debate went on. But by that time, I think the panic had set in,” longtime Democratic operative and CNN senior political commentator David Axelrod said.
Axelrod also gave voice to a conversation happening among many Democrats on Thursday night: “There are going to be discussions about whether he should continue.”
After a rocky start to the night, campaign and party officials pointed to Biden’s rebuke to former President Donald Trump on the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol as a moment where the president hit his stride. They also noted Biden’s climate change comments and the exchange over Trump’s reported derogatory terms for veterans as high points and argued the president improved as the night went on. Vice President Kamala Harris conceded that the president got off to a “slow start.”
“What we saw tonight is the president making a very clear contrast with Donald Trump on all the issues that matter to the American people. Yes, there was a slow start, but it was a strong finish. And what became very clear through the course of the night is that Joe Biden is fighting on behalf of the American people – on substance, on policy, on performance,” Harris said in an interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper.
Pressed by Cooper on Biden’s performance, Harris offered a defense of her boss.
“People can debate on style points, but ultimately this election and who is the president of the United States has to be about substance. And the contrast is clear,” she said, pointing to his broader record in office.
“It was a slow start. That’s obvious to everyone. I’m not going to debate that point,” Harris said.
Biden has fielded persistent questions about his age since he decided to make a third run at the White House in 2019. At 81, he is the oldest president in history, and would be 86 at the end of a potential second term. Thursday’s presidential debate on CNN offered a key test for the president to exhibit vigor and energy – and Democratic sources reacting to the debate described emotions ranging from concern to straight-up panic about Biden’s biggest vulnerability.
From the start of the debate, the president appeared to struggle with his voice. Biden cleared his throat or coughed multiple times, a condition that his doctor has previously stated is caused by acid reflux. He has also been battling a cold in recent days, multiple sources told CNN.
Biden often defaulted to an open-mouthed, staring look while Trump was speaking. He occasionally struggled to finish his thoughts or land punches at points, ceding ground on issues like abortion where Democrats have an edge.
“He and Jill need to hear what folks are saying” after the debate, “rather than deny them,” one senior Democrat said.
Democrats are especially worried that Trump came across as more measured than usual while Biden was not “punching back” on Trump’s lies.
“I think Joe is doing better than he did in the first 15 minutes, and Trump is just lying his way through the debate. But I wish Joe was a lot stronger punching back,” one lawmaker said midway through the debate.
“It wasn’t great. But that’s why you do this in June. One thousand things will happen between now and Election Day,” another senior Democrat said.
Democratic Party officials questioned why Biden missed other opportunities to slam Trump’s comments, particularly on the issue of abortion.
Another Democratic lawmaker summed up the evening in a text: “Strong on substance, but agonizing presentation.”
Biden advisers were hopeful ahead of the debate that many Americans would watch and see much more than the short clips of Biden on social media that paint him as feeble and weak. There is now a serious concern that that moment where he appeared to lose his train of thought will now be precisely one of those clips that goes viral.
