The recent presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump was a spectacle, to say the least. While political analysts were prepared for a contentious showdown, what unfolded was more akin to a comedic sketch with Biden playing the role of a bumbling, forgetful grandpa. From the outset, Biden seemed to be battling more than just Trump’s arguments; he was visibly struggling with a cold, leading to audible wheezing and slurred speech. This, unfortunately for Biden, lent itself to the narrative pushed by some Republicans who anticipated Biden would appear strong due to performance-enhancing drugs.
The content of Biden's responses didn't fare much better. When attempting to address the economy, his words became a jumbled mess of statistics and incomplete sentences. On foreign policy, particularly the sensitive issue of the war in Gaza, he stumbled through a statement about the US being the "biggest producer of support for Israel," a phrase that left many scratching their heads. To top it off, while discussing the national debt, he bafflingly declared, "We finally beat Medicare." This gaffe was like a gift-wrapped present for Trump, who, with feigned sympathy, quipped, "He did beat Medicare. He beat it to death."
Observers noted that as the debate progressed, Biden's voice did regain some strength, but the damage was already done. The incoherence of his earlier statements had painted a picture of incompetence that was difficult to erase. This stood in stark contrast to Trump, who, despite delivering his usual share of falsehoods, managed to appear composed and in command. He even refrained from his usual boisterous interruptions, allowing Biden's struggles to speak for themselves.
Among Trump’s misleading claims were accusations that Biden was responsible for the multiple indictments he's facing, conveniently ignoring that two originated from local officials and two from the independent Justice Department. He also asserted that food prices had "doubled and tripled and quadrupled" under Biden's watch, a wild exaggeration of the actual 25% increase recorded by the Department of Agriculture. His most egregious fabrication was attributing the phrase "super predators" to Biden in reference to African Americans, a claim with no basis in reality.
Despite Trump's blatant mistruths, the focus remained squarely on Biden's disastrous performance. This has led to much hand-wringing among Democrats, some even questioning if Biden should continue his campaign. Former Obama advisor David Axelrod aptly summarized the sentiment, saying, "I think there was a sense of shock actually on how he came out at the beginning of this debate." Whether Biden can recover from this disastrous first debate remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the next debate on September 10 will be a crucial turning point in this already bizarre election race.