President Joe Biden has offered an explanation for his widely criticized performance in the recent presidential debate against Donald Trump, attributing it to exhaustion from extensive international travel. Speaking at a fundraising event in Virginia, Biden admitted, “I decided to travel around the world a bit before the debates. I didn’t listen to my advisors and almost fell asleep on stage”. The President emphasized that this was “not an excuse, but an explanation”.Biden’s poor debate showing has intensified concerns about his ability to serve another term as president. A CNN poll found that 75% of respondents believe the Democratic Party would have a better chance in November with another candidate. These concerns have led to growing calls from within the Democratic Party for Biden to withdraw from the 2024 race.Texas Representative Lloyd Doggett has become the first sitting Democrat in Congress to publicly call on Biden to withdraw from the 2024 race, citing the high stakes of the November election. Despite these challenges, the White House and Biden’s campaign have denied any plans for him to step aside as the presumptive Democratic nominee.In response to the mounting pressure, Biden and his team are planning a series of public appearances and interviews to address concerns about his fitness for office. The President is scheduled to have his first interview since the debate on Friday, with the full interview to be aired on Sunday. Biden has also defended his ability to take on Trump, stating at a campaign rally, “I know I’m not as young as I used to be, but I know how to tell the truth”.As the situation unfolds, the Biden campaign faces a critical period in the lead-up to the Democratic convention in Chicago. With growing doubts about Biden’s leadership due to his age and recent performance, the coming weeks will be crucial in determining the trajectory of his re-election bid.
Key points
- President Biden attributed his poor debate performance to fatigue from international travel.
- Concerns about Biden’s fitness for office have intensified, with some Democrats calling for his withdrawal from the 2024 race.
- Biden and his team remain committed to his candidacy, planning public appearances and interviews to address concerns.
Contradictions👾While Biden claims fatigue from international travel affected his debate performance, reports indicate he spent a week at Camp David preparing for the debate.
👾The White House initially claimed Biden had a cold to explain his hoarse voice during the debate, but Biden’s recent explanation focuses on fatigue from travel.
