By Associated Press
Photos: YouTube Screenshots
Thursday’s presidential debate saw a raspy and sometimes halting President Joe Biden struggling to confront Donald Trump on the CNN stage, spurring panic from his party. Read more.
Key takeaways:
- Presidential debates are often scored on style and impression more than substance. Trump was confident and composed, even as he steamrolled facts on abortion and immigration with falsities, exaggerations, and empty superlatives. Biden was often halting, even when he had the facts on his side.
- Biden’s uneven performance crystallized the concerns of many Americans that he is too old to serve as president. It sparked a fresh round of calls for the Democrat to consider stepping aside as the party’s nominee. Pressed early Friday about Democratic concerns with his showing and whether he should consider stepping aside, Biden said, “No, It’s hard to debate a liar.”
- Trump was cruising through the opening of the debate when he suddenly stumbled over the question of how he would reassure voters that he would respect his oath of office after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Trump continued to engage in denialism about the attack and declined to clearly state he would accept the results of the November election.
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