TV debacle - Biden after botched appearance: "I don't debate as well as I used to"
US-President Joe Biden went on the offensive after his weak performance in the first TV debate against his challenger Donald Trump. "I would not run again if I didn't believe in my heart and soul that I could do this job," the 81-year-old Democrat told a cheering crowd in Raleigh, North Carolina, the day after the debate against Trump. "I'm here in North Carolina because I intend to win this state in November." If he manages to do so, he will also win the election in the country as a whole.
Biden is campaigning for a second term in the presidential election in early November. His predecessor, the 78-year-old Trump, is also running for the Republicans again. Biden's performance in the TV debate on Thursday in Atlanta has raised doubts about his suitability as a candidate within the Democratic Party. He frequently bungled his words, spoke vaguely, softly, and with a hoarse voice.
Skepticism towards Biden's candidacy in the Party, but no open resistance
No prominent party colleague from the front row came out publicly against Biden on Friday. However, many in the party were skeptical about whether Biden was the right candidate to win against Trump.
Biden tried to calm his critics at his first major public appearance after the debate debacle. "I know I'm not a young man, and I'm not running around like I used to," he said in Raleigh. "I don't run as smoothly as I used to. I don't debate as well as I used to."
Trump has "the morals of a gutter rat"
But Biden added, "But I know how to tell the truth." "I spent 90 minutes on that stage and debated with a guy who has the morals of a gutter rat," Biden said about the TV debate with Trump the previous evening.
Biden looked noticeably fitter at the campaign rally than during the TV debate the previous evening. However, unlike in the television studio during the back-and-forth, Biden read from the teleprompter at the rally. His voice also sounded less hoarse, and he was not as soft-spoken. Biden had said after the TV debate that he had a sore throat.
Biden's age is a campaign issue
The age of the US President has been a topic of debate in campaigns for a long time. Although Trump is only about three years younger, Biden's supporters and his stiff gait often make headlines and raise the question of whether he can really continue to govern the White House for another four years.
Biden's failure at the debate left many Democrats in a state of explanation and fueled public debate about alternatives. For example, the governor of the US state of California, Gavin Newsom, is rumored to have presidential ambitions. However, Newsom publicly declared his support for Biden. "I will never turn my back on President Biden," he said. The unpopular Vice President Kamala Harris was grilled about Biden's performance in a TV interview – and admitted that her boss had a "rocky start."
- Despite the skepticism towards his performance in the first TV debate, US President Joe Biden continues his election campaign in North Carolina, stating his intention to win the state and the presidential election overall.
- Joe Biden faced criticism after his appearance in the TV duel against Donald Trump, where he frequently stumbled over his words, spoke vaguely, softly, and had a hoarse voice, raising doubts about his suitability within the Democratic Party.
- During his campaign rally in Raleigh, North Carolina, Biden defended his performance in the debate and took a dig at his opponent, stating, "I debated with a guy who has the morals of a gutter rat."
- The age of the US President has been a contentious issue in past campaigns, and Biden's age and physical condition have been the subject of public debate following his struggles during the first TV debate against Donald Trump.
