Presidential debate recap: Biden rejects calls to drop out and vows to commit to next debate after shaky night against Trump
Joe Biden and Donald Trump appeared on stage at CNN debate moderated by Jake Tapper and Dana Bash
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Democrats watched in dismay on Thursday night as Joe Biden struggled in the first television debate of the 2024 presidential election against Donald Trump.
In post-debate analysis, CNN pundits discussed the possibility of his stepping down as the party’s candidate.
But the network reported on Friday that Biden doesn’t plan on dropping out and that he’s still going to take part in the second debate with Trump in September.
The president, hoarse and raspy, appeared low in energy during the CNN debate in Atlanta, Georgia, with the White House later saying he had a cold.
Looking his age and generally out-of-sorts, Biden mispoke at one stage and declared “we finally beat Medicare”, to which his Republican opponent responded, “I really don’t know what he said”.
The president did later rally to rebuke Trump over his sordid personal history and alleged “suckers and losers” remark regarding the military.
The businessman, meanwhile repeated lies and falsehoods throughout, often failing to answer questions and having to be pressed three times on whether he would accept the election results.
Trump bulldozes Biden with lies while stumbling president fails to keep up
Who could replace Joe Biden? Debate performance has Democrats in crisis talks
Dumbstruck silence and despair: Behind the scenes at the Trump-Biden debate
Misinformation, abortion and Democratic ‘panic’: Key takeaways from the first Biden-Trump debate
Trump says US was ‘respected all over the world’ on Jan 6
Joe Biden confronted Donald Trump for the first time in person about his role on January 6, asking him to denounce the far-right Proud Boys gang and the other rioters who attacked the US Capitol.
In their first debate ahead of the 2024 presidential election, Trump refused to say whether he would condemn the deadly attack.
He failed to respond to questions about voters who are concerned that Trump violated his oath to accept elections as they prepare to cast their ballots in the next one.
CNN moderator Jake Tapper tried to ask him twice.
Alex Woodward reports.
Trump says US was ‘respected all over the world’ on Jan 6 in first debate
Moment marks first time that any Democratic official confronted Trump in person on the attack
Biden condemns Trump after he refuses to say he’ll accept 2024 results
In his first debate with Joe Biden ahead of the 2024 presidential election, Donald Trump refused to explicitly say he would accept the results this November if he lost.
The debate in Atlanta was widely seen as a debacle with the president stumbling over answers and rambling. Trump meanwhile spouted lies and falsehoods throughout, mostly failing to answer questions and had to be pressed three times on whether he would accept the 2024 election results.
Alex Woodward reports.
Biden calls Trump a ‘whiner’ during car-crash presidential debate
The president noted that none of Trump’s spurious legal challenges to the 2020 election results in states he lost “had any merit,” and none produced any evidence of fraud
Dumbstruck silence and despair: Behind the scenes at the Trump-Biden debate
Andrew Feinberg writes:
Behind the scenes at the first debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, the buzzy atmosphere of the spin room descended into horror-struck silence within the first few minutes of the president opening his mouth.
Continue reading...
Behind the scenes at the Trump-Biden debate: Dumbstruck silence and despair
Biden started the debate sounding hoarse, and looking every day of his 81 years, writes Andrew Feinberg from behind-the-scenes at the first presidential debate in Atlanta, Georgia
Key takeaways from the first Biden-Trump debate
Katie Hawkinson breaks down the key takeaways from tonight in Atlanta:
Watch: Biden speaks to supporters after debate performance
Only a select few could tell Biden to step down, Democrats say
Speaking to reporters, Democrats say only a very select few could talk to Joe Biden about the possibility of stepping down should it come to that.
Barak Ravis of Axios was told that only Jill Biden and Barack Obama could have that conversation with the president, while his colleague Andrew Solender said it would have to start with Obama and Bill Clinton.
Democrats begin calling for Biden to step aside after ‘horrible’ debate performance against Trump
Eric Garcia writes:
Ahead of the first presidential debate in Atlanta, Democrats had one piece of advice for President Joe Biden: Be yourself.
Former House speaker Nancy Pelosi said it. Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester, who is running for Senate in Biden’s home state of Delaware said it. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told The Independent that people should ask what former president Donald Trump needed to do to have “half a chance” at sounding “barely cogent.”
But Democrats began to sound the alarm after Biden’s performance in Atlanta on Thursday evening.
Continue reading...
Panicked Democrats call for Biden to step aside after ‘horrible’ debate against Trump
‘Need to have Harris take over. Cleanest option,’ one Democrat said.
Bidens greet supporters at watch-party and stop at Waffle House to pick up dinner
The White House pool reports:
POTUS and FLOTUS entered a ballroom in the Hyatt Regency at 11:00 pm to chants of “four more years.” The campaign hosted a debate watch party here - where supporters gathered with signs and a DJ played music.
FLOTUS spoke first: “I can’t thank you all enough,” she said. “Joe did such a great job”
“What did Trump do? Lied!”
POTUS then spoke for a few minutes, thanking supporters and quoting a John Wayne western film “a lying, dog-faced pony soldier” as he criticized Trump for lying during the debate.
“They’re going to be out there fact-checking,” POTUS said. “I can’t think of one thing that he said was true”
“Look we’re going to beat this guy, and I need you in order to beat him,” he said, adding: “You are the reason why America is as good as we are.”
POTUS left the stage at 11.04pm and he and FLOTUS worked the rope line for almost an hour before the motorcade got rolling and arrived at a Waffle House in Atlanta at 12.13am
From the White House: “The President and First Lady are stopping by a Waffle House to pick up food for staff and press, before heading to Raleigh.”
POTUS and FLOTUS entered the Waffle House at 12.18am. POTUS shook hands and greeted customers.
POTUS and FLOTUS then went to the register to pick up food. FLOTUS said the order was for “Biden” and POTUS slipped her some cash.
POTUS then answered a few questions...
On how he performed tonight, he said, “I think we did well.”
On calls for him to drop out / whether he has any concerns about his performance: “No. It’s hard to debate a liar. The New York Times pointed out he lied 26 times.”
On whether he’s sick: “I have a sore throat”
Pool was then quickly ushered out
I’m 98, and ‘I’ve got all my marbles’: Dick Van Dyke shrugs off Joe Biden age concerns
Legendary actor Dick Van Dyke defended US President Joe Biden against attacks on his age.
During the first presidential debate of the 2024 election on Thursday, June 27, 81-year-old Biden was once again asked to address voter concerns about how old he is.
Tom Murray reports from Los Angeles.
Dick Van Dyke shrugs off Joe Biden age concerns: I’m 98, ‘I’ve got all my marbles’
In an interview before Thursday night’s debate, 98-year-old Van Dyke said he liked President Biden ‘right away’ after meeting him
Who won the debate?
Joe Biden’s stumbling performance in the first presidential debate left a large majority of viewers believing that Donald Trump came out on top, according to a flash CNN poll.
Graeme Massie reports.
Who won the debate? Snap poll results following Trump-Biden face-off
Large majority of registered voters told CNN that Trump beat Biden in first debate
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