A ‘disorientated’ Joe Biden put in a disastrous performance during a 90-minute head-to-head with Donald Trump last night – sending the Democratic party into total panic and raising the spectre that he could be replaced as candidate for the 2024 general election.
The two oldest presidential candidates ever went into battle but Mr Biden quickly lost his way, mumbling and stumbling over his words in a dismal performance on CNN last night.
Mr Trump was seen pulling faces of shock as his rival lost his train of thought and again appeared to freeze – and at one point he told the millions watching across America: ‘I really don’t know what he just said’.
At times, Mr Biden looked blankly into the camera or down at his notes while Trump was speaking. He was also hoarse from the moment the debate started and it went down hill from there.
Trump’s team has already sought to capitalise on the TV disaster and has released a video compiling all Biden’s mumbling and bumbling in a video entitled: ‘Needless to say, the drugs didn’t work’.
Experts have described the debate disaster as a ‘DEFCON 1 moment’ for the Democrats. Behind the scenes there are calls to replace the 81-year-old president on the ticket after his dismal showing – even with five months to go.
Afterwards Mr Biden and his acolytes including California Governor Gavin Newsom said that he had won the debate. Biden went to a Waffle House with his wife Jill where he said: ‘I think it went well’. But Biden’s gamble that the debate with Donald Trump would boost his stuttering re-election campaign has failed.
And former senior advisor to President Barack Obama, David Axelrod, conceded that Biden’s first performance was damaging – right from the beginning – and the 90-minutes has shaken liberal America.
‘I think there was a sense of shock actually how he came out at the beginning of the debate, how his voice sounded, he seemed a little disoriented,’ he said on CNN, noting there would be ‘discussions’ in the party after the debate about whether Biden should continue his run for reelection.
Commentator and former Clinton administration official Jamie Metzl tweeted afterwards: ‘Joe Biden is my former boss. I love him and respect him deeply. He has made a tremendous contribution to our country. His greatest act of patriotism must now be to pass the torch to a new generation’.
At times, President Biden looked blankly into the camera or down at his notes (pictured) while Trump was speaking
After Biden lost his train of thought at one point and stared ahead blankly, Donald Trump said: ‘I really don’t know what he just said’
President Joe Biden participates in the CNN presidential debate
US President Joe Biden (C) and US First Lady Jill Biden visit a Waffle House in Marietta, Georgia after the disastrous debate, where he said he had won
Mr Biden has been heavily criticised for his performance during the debate – but he insists he was the winner
Axelrod said that Biden’s performance confirmed people’s fears about his age and ability to serve another four years.
Biden also struggled at times to finish his sentences or complete a talking point before trying to move on.
CNN moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash repeatedly reminded him to use the rest of his time, when he cut his answers and responses to Trump short.
Kate Bedingfeld, a former White House communications director for Joe Biden also panned the performance from her former boss.
‘It was a really disappointing debate performance from Joe Biden,’ she said. ‘I don’t think there is any other way to slice it.’
Activist and CNN commentator Van Jones said that even though he ‘loved’ Joe Biden, he described the debate as ‘painful.’
‘There are people who are going to want to see him consider taking a different course now,’ Van Jones said. ‘We’re still far from our convention and there is time for this party to figure out a different way forward if he will allow us to do that but that was not what we needed from Joe Biden.’
Other Democratic strategists not connected with the Biden campaign agreed.
President Joe Biden fumbled for words in the debate
President Joe Biden, second right, and first lady Jill Biden, right, greet CNN event moderators Dana Bash, from left, and Jake Tapper
Donald Trump speaks during the debate in Atlanta
US President Joe Biden and former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump participate in the first presidential debate of the 2024 elections
Biden’s feeble debate performance will be welcomed by his rival Donald Trump
Joe Biden and Jill Biden attend as supporters greet the president with a light display showing Georgians love for Joe Biden at his debate watch party at Hyatt Regency Atlanta
‘I don’t know if high-level conversations are happening right now about Biden’s concerning performance, but it would be political malpractice to pretend tonight advanced the Biden campaign,’ wrote MSNBC contributor and Democratic strategist Max Burns on social media.
Other Democrats reacted anonymously to reporters to signal their shock about Biden’s performance.
Prominent Democrat texts: ‘Gavin please…’ wrote New York Times reporter Kenneth Vogel.
CNN host Kasie Hunt wrote on social media that Democrats were ‘nearly beside themselves watching this debate’ after coming to terms with Biden’s demeanor.
She detailed texts from prominent Democrats on CNN.
‘If I was Gavin (Newsom) or Gretchen (Whitmer), I’d be making calls tonight,’ one Democrat told her. Another wrote simply ‘we are f***d.’
Other Democrats voiced their panic on social media, urging the party to be honest about their chances.
One woman watched the debate with her hand clasped to her mouth at Shaws Tavern in Washington, DC
People watch the CNN presidential debate between U.S. President Joe Biden and Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump
Some of those watching the debate were playing bingo with themes they thought would come up
‘Texts from family and friends, all Democrats who despise Trump, are extremely concerning. You cannot just spin this and ignore the fact that this is not going well for our side,’ wrote former New York City council member Jimmy Van Bramer on social media.
MSNBC’s Nicole Wallace said the conversation about replacing Biden was ‘live and active at the highest levels of the Democratic party.’
MSNBC’s Joy Reid agreed, noting her phone was buzzing throughout the debate from texts from Democrats.
‘The universal reaction was somewhere approaching panic,’ she said, adding they were ‘very concerned’ about Biden appearing feeble and weak.
Biden spokesman Andrew Bates reacted on social media by dismissing hand-wringing Democrats.
‘We have plenty of experience offering backbone transplants,’ he wrote, praising Biden for making a ‘strong argument for his vision’ during the debate.
Jill Biden led Joe Biden off stage after his debate debacle on Thursday night while Melania Trump broke decades of tradition by not showing up.
Donald Trump was left to exit solo after resoundingly defeating Joe Biden in the debate.
The president, who sounded hoarse and fumbled repeatedly as he searched for words, took comfort from his wife in the aftermath.
Jill Biden walked out on stage to hug and kiss her husband after the event ended.
But in another awkward moment for the President, he was seen struggling to climb down the stairs to speak to moderators Dana Bash and Jake Tapper.
It was an unfortunate final image to cap off a night that sparked Democratic meltdown that the president will need to be replaced on the ballot. Senior Democratic leaders are reported to be having conversations about replacing him. The general sense is one of panic.
Biden froze in the first 12 minutes of the debate, leaving Democrats into a panic about the state of their candidate.
While Jill Biden was at her husband’s side, Melania Trump was nowhere to be seen.
Jill Biden helped Joe Biden leave the debate stage
The Trump campaign remained silent when asked if the former first lady would attend the first presidential showdown.
Officials said it would be revealed at the debate.
As many predicted, she never appeared.
The former president arrived in Atlanta solo on Trump Force One – and left the same way.
It was a remarkable break in tradition.
Melania Trump did attend all debates in the 2016 and 2020 election cycles.
‘Families started attending the debates regularly in 1976 and it would be pretty shocking for the wife of a candidate to break that tradition,’ presidential historian Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky said.
Her absence follows a reports she may not live in Washington D.C. fulltime if her husband wins a second term in the White House.
Those close to the former first lady believe she will likely split her time between Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, and New York City – especially with Barron, 18, tipped to attend New York University
Melania would instead only travel to Washington, D.C. for ceremonial responsibilities like state dinners and other special events.
Her office did not respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com about the report.
Melania Trump, seen voting with Donald Trump in March, did not attend the debate
Donald Trump walks of Trump Force One solo when he arrived in Atlanta
‘They have drawn a curtain of privacy’ around her, said MaryAnne Borrell, a bipartisan professor of Government at Connecticut College.
Public sightings of Melania are rare, particularly when it comes to Donald Trump’s attempt to win a second term in the White House.
Six months into 2024 she has yet to appear at a campaign rally for her husband. She did not appear at a June 14th birthday party for Donald Trump organized by his fan club.
Melania Trump has rarely showed public support for her husband as he seeks a second term in the White House.
She joined Trump when he announced his 2024 presidential bid in November of last year. But, otherwise, she only appeared at one fundraiser for his campaign and went to vote with her husband in Florida’s primary.
‘Stay tuned,’ she told reporters when asked if she’d campaign for Trump.
