Some Democrats Demand Joe Biden Withdraw From White House Race After 'Terrible’ Debate Performance

On Thursday, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump exchanged sharp remarks in the first 2024 presidential debate. However, in the aftermath of the clash, Democrats have become concerned about Biden's ability to handle a second term as he stumbled while responding. On the debate stage, the elderly President appeared somewhat confused, giving the impression of being out of place, as noted by the Daily Mail.

Despite the backlash, Biden stood his ground, making it unmistakably clear that stepping down was not on his agenda. He said, "I don't walk as easy as I used to, I don't speak as smoothly as I used to, I don't debate as well as I used to, but I know what I do know – I know how to tell the truth. I know right from wrong. I know how to do this job." Biden added, "I give you my word as a Biden, I would not be running again if I didn't believe with all my heart and soul I can do this job, because, quite frankly, the stakes are too high." 

Despite his reassurance, several Democrats believed that Biden was 'diminished' to serve another term. Mark Buell, a major donor for Biden, believes that the president should seriously think about whether he's the right person to run for the White House. As reported by The New York Times, Buell asked, “Do we have time to put somebody else in there?" He asserted, "Democratic leadership has a responsibility to go to the White House and clearly show what America’s thinking because democracy is at stake here and we’re all nervous.” 

Another donor echoed, "This is terrible. Worse than I thought was possible. Everyone I'm speaking with thinks Biden should drop out." Biden's former White House communications director, Kate Bedingfield, also found the debate disastrous: “It was a 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.”

Trump, during the debate, was quick to criticize the incumbent president's slurred remarks, saying, “I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence. I don’t think he knows what he said either.” During split-screen shots, Biden also stood with his mouth open, looking confused. Thomas L. Friedman, a columnist for The New York Times, also wrote that he wept while watching the president. He said, "I watched the Biden-Trump debate alone in a Lisbon hotel room, and it made me weep." 

Friedman added, "I cannot remember a more heartbreaking moment in American presidential campaign politics in my lifetime, precisely because of what it revealed: Joe Biden, a good man and a good president, has no business running for re-election." On one occasion during the debate, Biden also couldn't remember if a tax rate was 24% or 25%. He was so confused that Trump could say anything without getting much of a challenge. Biden, sounding hoarse and lacking vocal strength, seemed to struggle to clearly explain his point of view.