Obama calls Biden’s catastrophic debate performance ‘bad,’ urges voters to back prez as he faces calls to step down
Former President Barack Obama admitted that Joe Biden’s debate performance Thursday night was “bad” — but still urged voters to back his former veep over Donald Trump.
“Bad debate nights happen. Trust me, I know,” Obama, 62, wrote on X Friday afternoon, referring to his infamous lackluster debate against Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney in 2012.
Biden, 81, left much to be desired during Thursday night’s war of words, during which he appeared to freeze at several points and was often mumbling and tripping over phrases.
“But this election is still a choice between someone who has fought for ordinary folks his entire life and someone who only cares about himself,” Obama insisted.
“Between someone who tells the truth; who knows right from wrong and will give it to the American people straight — and someone who lies through his teeth for his own benefit.
“Last night didn’t change that, and it’s why so much is at stake in November.”
“I’ll leave the debate rating to the pundits,” former President Bill Clinton added later Friday afternoon. “Joe Biden has given us 3 years of solid leadership, steadying us after the pandemic, creating a record number of new jobs, making real progress solving the climate crisis, and launching a successful effort in reducing inflation, all while pulling us out of the quagmire Donald Trump left us in.”
Biden’s dismal showing created major doubts about his ability to appear on the ticket come Election Day — though rumors of his imminent replacement were shot down by aides who said he was already gearing up for September’s rematch.
But even Biden had to admit, during an appearance at a rally in North Carolina on Friday, that he does not “debate as well as (hee) used to.”
“Folks, 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,” he added.
Within a few hours of the debate, only about 18% of respondents to one poll said they believed Biden should stay in the race – with 81% agreeing it was time for him to call it quits.
New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman – a close friend of the president’s – went so far as to say that Thursday night’s performance made him “weep.”
“Joe Biden, a good man and a good president, has no business running for re-election,” Friedman, 70, lamented.
Hank Sheinkopf, campaign aide to former President Bill Clinton and longtime political strategist, added that Trump, 78, was “much more clear – even when he made stuff up.”
“Do you want a guy who stutters from time to time and is a decent fellow or an entertainer who is funny? Trump is funny, Biden is not funny,” he shrugged.
