Ladies and gentlemen, the first presidential debate of the 2024 campaign season has wrapped up, and the buzz is all about President Joe Biden’s performance. Unfortunately for him, the consensus is that he looked and sounded worse than usual, which is saying a lot.
On Friday, NBC News/MSNBC political analyst Elise Jordan warned that Biden “absolutely cannot have a senior moment at this debate.” Her warning was based on focus group discussions with Democrats from Michigan and Wisconsin, who expressed serious concerns about Biden’s age and fitness to lead. Jordan aptly described it as “an albatross that is hanging around this candidate and campaign.”
And, as it turns out, this albatross grew even heavier after Thursday’s debate. The debate, lasting an hour and a half, ended up being a rough ride for Biden.
But what people are really talking about is what happened immediately after the debate. As there was no studio audience, we didn’t see any family members or friends during the debate. However, as soon as it ended, First Lady Jill Biden rushed onto the stage. Often seen directing the President, she quickly embraced him and then tried to guide him away from the podium towards two steps. Biden, looking frozen, shuffled slowly and gingerly stepped down.
OMFG
Jill Biden had to lead Joe Biden off the debate stage. pic.twitter.com/lgzC9ZSt4K
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) June 28, 2024
In one clip, another person, possibly a handler or CNN staffer, appeared to offer additional assistance. In another clip, Jill guided Biden towards debate moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash.
🚨Zoomed in video of Jill Biden leading Joe off the debate stage.
This is insane. pic.twitter.com/QJhkfetdWz
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) June 28, 2024
These clips paint a stark picture of Biden’s state during and after the debate. If there were any doubts about how poorly Biden performed, these videos erased them.
There’s no sugar-coating it: This debate was a disaster for Biden. Even if he’d managed any zingers or memorable moments (which he didn’t), they were overshadowed by his lost and out-of-it appearance, validating his critics’ concerns.
