ATLANTA (LifeSiteNews) — Democrats were left disappointed by U.S. President Joe Biden’s “painful” performance in the much-anticipated Thursday night debate against presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump, which was hosted by CNN at the network’s studio in Atlanta. The 81-year-old Joe Biden appeared noticeably disoriented during the debate, generating anxiety among Democrats and sparking renewed speculation about potential plans to replace him with a more viable candidate.
CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash moderated the June 27 debate, the first of two scheduled face-offs between Biden and Trump ahead of the November general election. Biden and Trump fielded questions on a range of subjects, including the economy, COVID-19, the riot at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, and each man’s vision for the country.
But it was Biden’s appearance and apparent health, rather than his answers, that took center stage.
READ: Trump, Biden agree to two presidential debates in June and September
The debate, which kicked off at 9 p.m. ET, was unusual in its timing, taking place ahead of the Republican and Democratic conventions before either Biden or Trump have been formally declared the nominees of their respective parties. The debate also included controversial rules. Microphones were muted when each candidate’s turn to speak expired, preventing Trump or Biden from talking over one another. In addition, the new rules saw the debate conducted without a live audience.
However, conservative analysts worried about CNN’s debate rules had their fears broadly allayed by the way the event unfolded. Both men were given the opportunity to complete their thoughts and respond to their opponents, and neither of the moderators engaged in favoritism tactics or attempts at real-time censorship.
But while political watchers have largely viewed the June 27 debate as a last chance for Biden to pick up steam as the general election looms, observers of Biden’s performance expressed serious reservations about his ability to secure a second term.
Though Biden’s clarity was at a notable deficit during the debate, the current and former president did spar on a number of topics that have dominated the news cycle in recent months and year.
Trump and Biden squabble over COVID-19
The debate began with questions about the economy amid ongoing inflation. Biden blamed Trump for the lagging economy, while Trump argued that the U.S. had “the greatest economy in the history of our nation” under his administration prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing lockdown measures that stifled economic progress.
Continuing with the topic of the COVID-19 response, Trump repeated his argument that his administration didn’t get the credit it deserved for its handling of COVID. He hit out at Biden for creating top-down COVID jab mandates, which he called “a disaster for our country.” Trump also pointed out that more people died during Biden’s administration than in his own, a fact borne out by data from Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center and the CDC. Meanwhile, Biden argued that Trump had downplayed the seriousness of the epidemic during his time in office.
Trump continues to rankle pro-life advocates with abortion messaging
The debate did not continue long on the topic of the pandemic. The debate moderators quickly raised questions concerning abortion in the wake of the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
In his response, Trump raised the ire of pro-life conservatives by affirming his support for the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision not to block access to the abortion drug mifepristone (rather than ruling on the merits of the case, the Supreme Court rejected it, deciding the plaintiffs lacked legal standing). Mifepristone is the first drug in the chemical abortion regimen and works by blocking an unborn child’s access to the growth hormone progesterone, causing him or her to starve to death.
And while Trump touted his involvement in the overturning of Roe, he reaffirmed his position that abortion limits should be left to the states, and once more proclaimed his support for exceptions in cases of rape, incest, or the life of the mother. Pro-life advocates point out that the deliberate killing of a preborn baby is morally unjustifiable and never medically necessary, and that unborn babies are not at fault for the circumstances of their conception.
Biden, meanwhile, said he would codify Roe v. Wade if re-elected, and argued that the Court’s decision to leave the abortion issue up to the states has been “terrible.” The president claimed that many young girls will be raped by family members and require abortions, but, when pressed by Trump, emphatically stated that he did not support late-term abortions. Biden also raised the specter of a federal bill to limit abortion during the first trimester, arguing that Trump would sign such a bill but that he would veto it.
Pro-life advocates have been less than enthusiastic about Trump’s comments.
“Trump deserves credit for the overturn of Roe. But he is wrong about abortion policy being a decision for states. That is not even what Dobbs said,” Live Action founder and president Lila Rose wrote on X. “Every person has a right to equal protection under the law. Abortion is unconstitutional.”
January 6, Trump’s felony convictions
Asked about the riot at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, Trump took the opportunity to declare that the country was in a much better position on January 6, 2021, than it has been under the Biden administration.
“On January 6, we had a great border,” Trump said, adding that the U.S. was also “energy independent,” had the “lowest taxes ever,” and was “respected all over the world.”
“[Biden] comes in and we’re now laughed at, we’re like stupid people,” Trump said.
For his part, Biden claimed that Trump “encouraged” the rioters on January 6, arguing that those who participated in political violence “should be in jail” but that Trump “wants to commute their sentences.” Trump responded that he did not support violence and had called for protests to be peaceful on January 6.
Asked whether he would accept the results of the election, Trump affirmed that he will, so long as the contest is fair and legal.
The debate also touched briefly on Trump’s conviction on 34 felony charges and the former president’s comments regarding “retribution.” Trump pivoted, explaining that his “retribution” will be success where Biden has sowed failure. Biden used Trump’s convictions as a debate weapon, stating that “the only person on this stage who is a convicted felon is the man I’m looking at right now.”
No mention was made about whether Trump is likely to be sentenced ahead of the election, or the political implications of the ongoing cases against him as November nears.
The real issue in the debate: President Biden’s health
But while both Biden and Trump addressed questions of importance to voters, it was Biden’s apparent lack of health that was top of mind for many observers and analysts, conservative and liberal alike.
President Biden appeared visibly unwell from the beginning of the debate, struggling with numerous answers (including, early in the debate, claiming to have “finally beat Medicare”), speaking with a hoarse voice, and frequently seeming vacant.
Liberal CNN anchor Kacey Hunt observed the stark difference in a post on X, noting that Biden’s appearance in contrast with Trump’s had all the “Democrats I’m talking to nearly beside themselves watching this debate.”
Trump, meanwhile, appeared well-prepared and showed greater than typical discipline. During a live debate reaction, Daily Wire founder Ben Shapiro praised Trump for his demeanor, noting that the former president’s discipline was an improvement on his often-chaotic debate style.
In the middle of the debate, a source on Biden’s campaign said that the president had a cold, but the explanation failed to satisfy onlookers. Democrats have mourned the debate performance as a disappointment and even a “nightmare.”
Biden’s performance is not likely to boost his struggling numbers. Recent analysis has suggested that Biden’s likelihood of keeping the presidency is diminishing, with former FiveThirtyEight polling analyst Nate Silver predicting that Trump has a 66% chance of winning the White House in November.
Biden’s poor performance has added fuel to speculation that the Democrats may be looking to replace the president with an alternative candidate or else lose to Trump.