ATLANTA (Michigan News Source) – In the high-stakes arena of presidential debates, clarity, coherence, and substance often proves decisive. However, that wasn’t always the case during the recent clash between 81-year-old President Joe Biden and 78-year-old former President Donald Trump during the CNN debate last night.
Yes, they talked about things like the economy, immigration, Ukraine and the national debt. But they also argued about their golfing prowess and called each other names throughout the evening. However, the real story of the night was the obvious failure of the current president to appear as a strong presidential candidate let alone the leader of the country. This was confirmed by political pundits across the aisle from both political parties.
Criticism mounts early.
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Many, including Democrats, declared Biden’s performance “awful” and “horrible” a mere 12 minutes into the debate pointing to the president’s sped-up hoarse voice, mumbling and freezing on stage as well as comments like “we finally beat Medicare” and pointing to young women being raped by their relatives during a discussion on abortion.
Explaining Biden’s raspy voice and his sub-par performance, was a source “familiar with Biden’s campaign” who told The Hill that Biden had a cold – something that was not disclosed before the debate started.
Post-debate fallout and speculation.
After Biden uttered many incoherent and incomplete sentences, Trump said at one time about Biden’s answer, “I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence. I don’t think he knows what he said either.”
After the debate The Drudge Report website screamed headlines like “Operation: Replace Biden” and “Dems Scramble with 130 Days to Go” and “Debate Catastrophe.” Unsurprisingly, Matt Drudge didn’t have his usual “Who won the debate” question on his website – possibly fearful of what the answer might be. Instead, his question was “Who should replace Biden?”
Public opinion and polls.
The winner of the question on the Drudge Report was “other” who got 39.63% of the vote. Our own Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer only got 10.21% of the vote with California Gov. Gavin Newsom getting 23.6%, VP Kamala Harris receiving 13.92% and Hillary Clinton reeling in a whopping 12.63%.
Additionally, a CNN survey after the debate revealed that 67% thought Trump won the debate and only 33% said Biden did.
Reactions across the aisle.
Harsh words about Biden’s debate performance came from both Democrats and Republicans, with many prominent Democrats on CNN and MSNBC as well as voters and political pundits on social media, having a meltdown on X calling Biden incoherent, weak, old, ancient, a disaster, tired, exhausted and more.
Contentious exchanges, personal attacks and fact-checking.
The geriatric debate competitors spent most of the evening arguing about who was the worse president with Trump focusing on Biden’s horrible Afghanistan withdrawal disaster and Biden branding Trump a “sucker” and a “loser” and a “whiner.” Trump, for his part, called Biden a “disaster” and a “criminal.” They both called each other liars.
One of Biden’s lies was put to rest early on in a social media post. Biden had said that he was endorsed by the Border Patrol Union and that was debunked about half-way through the debate by the border patrol union themselves when they posted on X, “To be clear, we never have and never will endorse Biden.”
Post-debate analysis and commentary.
On Fox News after the debate, contributor and former Trump Senior Counselor and campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, said about the whole situation of having Biden be the nominee regardless of his age and cognitive problems, “This is enough. You’re ruining the country.” She pointed out that world leaders were watching the debate and seeing a man “who can’t do the job.”
Michigan’s reaction.
In Michigan, criticism about Biden’s debate performance on social media posts about the debate came in fast and furious as well.
Mike Rogers, a Trump-endorsed Michigan senatorial candidate, posted on X last night, “Elissa Slotkin with Joe Biden 100% of the time but she hasn’t said a word about tonight’s debate. Did she sign another NDA to stay silent?”
As of the time of the publishing of this story, Slotkin still hadn’t chimed in on Biden’s performance in the debate.
On the other side of the aisle, the Michigan GOP posted on X: “Michigan Dems are in disarray. Fun to watch” and Michigan GOP Chair Pete Hoekstra said on X, “Michigan needs President Trump.”
Democratic Party’s stand…
The Michigan Democratic Party, true to form, said on X “The choice is clear. We’re #onboardwithbiden.” MDP Chair Lavora Barnes said, “There are two visions for the future – Trump and his MAGA Republicans will drag us backward and try to control our lives, while President Biden and Democrats will continue to build a brighter future for all.”
Governor Whitmer’s defense of Biden.
As Co-Chair of Biden’s presidential campaign, Michigan Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer held the line for the president after the debate, saying on X, “When asked how to make childcare more affordable, Trump used his time to brag about firing people. The American people need a President who takes this stuff seriously.” She also said, “From blundering the COVID-19 response, to inciting an insurrection, to being convicted of 34 charges in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election, Donald Trump continues to blame everyone but himself.”
Gov. Whitmer also, not surprisingly, commented on the abortion part of the debate saying, “Donald Trump keeps saying ‘everyone wanted’ Roe to be overturned. Tell that to the 171,000 women who traveled out-of-state for reproductive care last year.”
The governor added, “Donald Trump openly brags about how he’s responsible for overturning Roe. He’s said that women should face ‘punishment’ for having an abortion. Recently, he talked about ‘looking at’ policies to restrict access to contraception. This is what’s at stake in November.”
Whitmer also said, “From blundering the COVID-19 response, to inciting an insurrection, to being convicted of 34 charges in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election, Donald Trump continues to blame everyone but himself. I think he needs to touch grass.”
Whitmer for President?
In Whitmer’s book, “True Gretch – What I’ve Learned About Life, Leadership and Everything In Between,” coming out July 9th, according to Michigan Advance, she shot down any chance of being in the Biden administration if he wins re-election saying, “I’m going to stay in my position as governor until the end of my term.” Does that also mean that she wouldn’t accept the presidential nomination to replace Biden if it came down to that?
According to a Bridge Michigan article that came out after the debate, there is plenty of speculation about Whitmer’s aspirations to sit in the Oval Office and if she would be a viable candidate to replace Biden on the ticket if the Democrats look for a replacement. Democrats pointing to Whitmer as a possible alternate candidate after the debate including progressive columnist Nicholas Kristof, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Democrat strategist Steve Schmidt.
Polling insights.
In Michigan, the race between Biden and Trump has been reported as razor thin by many polling outlets. Nationally, in a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday, Trump leads Biden 49% to 45%, marking a slight shift from the group’s May poll where Biden was ahead by one point. Trump leads by six points with third-party candidates in the race.
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