Weak performance in TV duel fuels doubts about Biden's presidential candidacy

Biden spared in the debate at CNN's headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia on the night before Friday, just as his opponent did, calling Trump a "failure" and notorious liar, but overall did not perform at his best. He stuttered more frequently and seemed to stammer, while the 78-year-old Trump appeared very energetic and focused.

Biden's Vice President Kamala Harris acknowledged this, stating that Biden had a "slow start" but then "strong finish." The President himself drew a positive conclusion: "I think we did well," he said during a visit to a waffle restaurant after the debate.

A CNN survey showed that 67% of viewers saw Trump as the winner of the duel. Biden, at 81 years old the oldest President in US history, spoke in the 90-minute debate with a hoarse voice and became tangled in his formulations. He also left sentences unfinished and stared with an open mouth while his opponent spoke.

According to his campaign team, Biden was suffering from a cold. Biden's performance, however, fueled doubts in the Democratic camp about whether he was fit for a second term. It was a "really disappointing evening" for the President, admitted Biden's former communications director Kate Bedingfield. Before the TV duel, Biden and Trump had been neck and neck in the presidential election polls.

Germany's Transatlantic Affairs Minister Michael Link (FDP) stated after the TV duel that an exchange of Biden as the US Democratic Party's presidential candidate was still possible. The Democrats "must decide at their party convention in mid-August whether they really want to run with Biden," Link told the "Tagesspiegel." His party colleague Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann went a step further: "The Democrats must react immediately and send a new candidate into the race," Strack-Zimmermann told the "Rheinische Post."

CDU foreign policy expert Norbert Röttgen also called on the Democrats to "get off the horse" in an interview with "Spiegel." A government spokesperson remained neutral, emphasizing the good relationship between Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and Biden.

Trump again spread numerous flagrant false claims, such as alleged electoral fraud in his loss to Biden in 2020 and an alleged dramatic increase in violent crimes by illegally entered migrants. Trump gave no clear answer to the question of whether he would accept the outcome of the upcoming presidential election, making only the reservation that he would acknowledge the result "if it is a fair, legal, and good election."

The likely Republican presidential candidate attacked Biden repeatedly and harshly, labeling him as the "worst President in the history of our country." He controlled his facial expressions while Biden spoke and ran fewer aggressive attacks against his rival than during his campaign rallies.

Deep-rooted personal animosity between Trump and Biden, who haven't been officially nominated as Presidential candidates by their parties yet, four months before the November election, was evident in the debate. They refused to shake hands at the outset.

Biden highlighted that Trump was the first former US President in history to be criminally prosecuted in the New York trial over the hush money payment to the former porn star Stormy Daniels. He referred to his rival as having "the morals of a street cat."

Biden reiterated his assessment of his opponent regarding his attempts to interfere in the election after his loss in 2020 and the storming of the Capitol by fanatical Trump supporters in January 2021 as a threat to the constitutional order of the country: "This guy has no sense for American democracy," he said.

In Trump's camp, the TV duel was celebrated. Long-time Republican campaign advisor Keith Nahigian called Biden's performance "the worst I've ever seen."

The heavily damaged Biden aims to revive his re-election campaign at a large event in the contested state of North Carolina on Friday. Trump is scheduled to appear in the neighboring state of Virginia.

Despite his weaker performance, with more frequent stuttering and stammering, Joe Biden acknowledged that he had a "strong finish" in the TV duel against Donald Trump.
The US President, Donald Trump, boasted about his victory in the CNN debate, as reported by CNN, despite Biden's claims of Trump being a "failure" and a "notorious liar."
In an election year, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann from Germany suggested that the Democrats should consider sending a new candidate into the race, following Biden's underwhelming performance in the debate.
The 90-minute debate between Biden and Trump was watched by many, including Michael Link, who believed that exchanging Biden as the Democratic Party's presidential candidate was still an option.
The US Presidential election polls before the TV duel showed that Biden and Trump were neck and neck, but after the debate, doubts arose in the Democratic camp about Biden's suitability for a second term.
The New York Times reported that Trump's aggressive tactics and false claims were evident in the debate again, raising concerns about his commitment to the fair and legal outcome of the forthcoming presidential election.
Kamala Harris, Biden's Vice President, acknowledged his "slow start" in the debate but praised his "strong finish," leading to hopes of a revival of Biden's re-election campaign in the contested state of North Carolina.
During the TV duel, Donald Trump, the likely Republican presidential candidate, made no clear commitment to accepting the outcome of the upcoming presidential election, fueling fears of election-related turmoil.
Following the debate, Duchess Kate from the UK expressed her concerns about Donald Trump's behavior and the impact on American democracy, stating that it was a "really disappointing evening" for Biden.
CNN surveyed viewers after the debate and found that 67% saw Trump as the winner, a result that might boost his presidential candidacy while raising doubts about Biden's ability to continue in the role of US President.