One House Democrat said he spoke for others in the wake of the president’s stunningly feeble debate performance on Thursday: “The movement to convince Biden to not run is real.”

The House member, an outspoken defender of the president, said that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer should consider “a combined effort” to nudge President Joe Biden out of the race.

Crestfallen by the president’s weak voice, pallid appearance and meandering answers, numerous Democratic officials said Biden’s bet on an early debate to rebut unceasing questions about his age had not only backfired but done damage that may prove irreversible. The president had, in the first 30 minutes of the debate, fully affirmed doubts about his fitness.

A second House Democrat said “reflection is needed” from Biden about the way ahead and indicated the private text threads among lawmakers were even more dire, with some saying outright that the president needed to drop out of the race.

  • KevonLooney@lemm.ee
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    5 months ago

    Biden’s big problem in the debate was that, for a few moments, he mumbled a confused answer that sounded like Donald Trump.

    • Optional@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      It was a no-win situation. The DNC gave in - once again - to their republican-lite mindset of ‘capturing undecided voters’ and agreed to get socked in the face , twice, for absolutely no gain and everything to lose.

      DNC consultants have always been morons, but now they’re morons-from-the-90s who still don’t understand what’s changed.

      • kromem@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        Having a presidential election without debates would have been a big step back and loss for American democracy.

        We shouldn’t champion erosion of democratic institutions when it helps our side of the ticket.

        And generally, if eroding democratic institutions helps your ticket, it’s a red flag about your ticket.

    • Not_mikey@slrpnk.net
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      5 months ago

      That’s a pretty fatal mistake when your average person is only gonna watch a 10 second clip of the debate.

      • KevonLooney@lemm.ee
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        5 months ago

        That’s it for me. I’m not voting for anyone who sounds confused for 10 seconds. Unless maybe they ran against someone who sounds confused for 10 years, but only in that circumstance.