Biden quips he 'almost fell asleep' during debate with Trump
United States President Joe Biden on Tuesday acknowledged his subpar performance at the first presidential debate with Donald Trump, attributing it to exhaustion from extensive travel. "I didn't listen to my staff...and then I almost fell asleep onstage," he said during a campaign fundraiser in McLean, Virginia. It was not immediately known to what extent Biden was joking about nearly falling asleep, as he has a history of making candid or unexpected remarks during fundraisers.
Biden's health concerns spark party anxiety
Before the debate, Biden visited France to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, then returned to the US before attending the Group of Seven Summit in Italy. He then attended a fundraiser in Los Angeles and spent time in Camp David, Maryland, preparing for the debate. But the travels are not an excuse for the performance, he added. His aides had previously mentioned that he had been suffering from a cold during the debate.
Biden remains determined despite debate setback
Despite his self-admitted poor performance, Biden emphasized the importance of defeating Trump in the upcoming November elections. He defended his ability to take on Trump after the debate performance, marked by a raspy voice and rhetorical missteps. On Friday, Biden first addressed his poor performance, saying, "I know I'm not a young man. I don't speak...debate as well as I used to, but I know what I do know—I know how to tell the truth!"
Biden: Oldest President in American history
At 81, Biden is the oldest president in American history, with Trump, 78, being the second oldest. A CNN flash poll revealed that 67% of viewers think Trump won the presidential debate on Thursday night, while 33% said Biden did better. This is a substantial departure from CNN's 2020 poll, in which 53% of viewers believed that Biden had won the final debate against Trump, according to Fox News.
