Presidential debate highlights: ‘Deep panic’ among Democrats after Biden’s performance as Trump spouts lies
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.
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 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.
Social media went into meltdown over the spectacle of the two elderly candidates battling it out while Democrats were left in a state of “deep panic” from early on.
In post-debate analysis, CNN pundits discussed the possibility of his stepping down as the party’s candidate.
The Trump campaign swiftly declared victory and a snap poll on CNN revealed that two-thirds of voters who watched agreed.
Trump bulldozes Biden with lies while stumbling president fails to keep up
Dumbstruck silence and despair: Behind the scenes at the Trump-Biden debate
Biden’s debate performance leaves Democrats wishing for another candidate. Can they do that?
Misinformation, abortion and Democratic ‘panic’: Key takeaways from the first Biden-Trump debate
Kamala Harris acknowledges ‘slow start’ but warns of ‘extraordinary stakes' of election
Speaking to CNN’s Anderson Cooper about tonight’s debate, Vice President Kamala Harris said: “It was a slow start, that’s obvious to everyone. I’m talking about the choice in November.”
She said the choice is between “the destruction of democracy” or to “continue on a course that’s about strengthening America’s economy.”
Pressed on Biden’s performance, Harris added: “I got that this is the after-play from the debate, this conversation I’m in. But I think it’s also important to recognize the choice … involves extraordinary stakes.”
“People can debate on style points, but ultimately this election and who is the president of the United States has to be about substance,” said a fiery Harris.
Watch: ‘It’s kind of a Defcon 1 moment’ says former Obama adviser
Newsom says he would never turn his back on Biden
The Independent’s Andrew Feinberg reports from the debate spin room.
California Governor Gavin Newsom told reporters: “I would never turn my back on President Biden. Never turn my back on President Biden, I don’t know a Democrat in my party. That would do so. And especially after tonight, we have his back. We run not the 90-yard dash we are all in. We’re gonna double down in the next few months. We’re gonna win this election. Everyone’s questioning his performance. Well, how about the substance?”
Melania Trump breaks with tradition by skipping presidential debate
Melania Trump will break a long-standing tradition by not attending the 2024 presidential debate on Thursday evening.
The former first lady was nowhere to be seen when Trump deboarded his plane in Atlanta, Georgia ahead of the first debate against President Joe Biden since 2020.
Ms Trump has been largely absent from his 2024 presidential campaign. She has already missed key events, including the kickoff of the 2024 election in Iowa and her husband’s Super Tuesday victory party.
Melania Trump breaks with tradition by skipping presidential debate
Melania Trump was not with her husband when he landed in Atlanta, Georgia
Read Biden campaign’s post-debate statement
Biden campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon released the following statement after the debate:
“Tonight, President Biden presented a positive and winning vision for the future of America - one in which every American has a fair shot at the American dream, where every one of our rights are protected, and where our president fights to strengthen our democracy - not to tear it down.
“On the other side of the stage was Donald Trump, who offered a dark and backwards window into what America will look like if he steps foot back in the White House: a country where women are forced to beg for the health care they need to stay alive. A country that puts the interests of billionaires over working people. And a former president who not once, not twice, but three times, failed to promise he would accept the results of a free and fair election this November.
“Trump's performance tonight reminded the American people why they fired him four years ago, and reinforced just how high the stakes are this November for the future of our country.”
Social media in meltdown over Trump and Biden’s debate performance: ‘Give him one of the Panera lemonades’
Social media is having a meltdown over the first presidential debate of 2024.
Katie Hawkinson has collated some of the best reactions:
‘Pure comedy’: Social media in meltdown over Trump-Biden debate
“Biden is saying true s*** incoherently,” one X user said. “Trump is saying fake s*** coherently.”
Watch: Hannity calls Biden debate performance ‘a disaster’
Watch: Joy Reid says ‘universal reaction was somewhere approaching panic'
‘Sense of shock’ among Democrats
David Axelrod, the veteran Democrat strategist, said on CNN post-debate that “there was a sense of shock” at Biden's performance from the start of the debate.
“He did get stronger as the debate went on but by that time, I think the panic had set in and I think you're going to hear discussions ... about whether he should continue.”
CNN's John King agreed that Democrats started freaking out about Biden's performance right away and are already talking about what they need to do going forward.
The phrase “Oh my God” was heard throughout the debate.
Kate Bedingfield, former White House communications director for Biden said: “It was a really disappointing debate performance from Joe Biden. I don’t think there’s any other way to slice it. His biggest issue was to prove to the American people that he had the energy, the stamina — and he didn’t do that.”
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