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President Joe Biden gave a fiery speech to a campaign rally in North Carolina on Friday, a day after he struggled badly in the first television debate of the 2024 presidential election cycle against Donald Trump, as Democrats looked on in horror.
Referring to Trump as a “one-man crime wave” the president acknowledged his age and limitations but said the stakes were too high and promised he could do the job.
Hoarse and raspy, Biden appeared frail during the CNN showdown in Atlanta, with the White House later saying he had a cold. Amid gaffes and misstatements, the president did later rally to rebuke Trump over his sordid personal history and record in office.
Trump repeated lies and falsehoods throughout, often failing to answer questions. He was pressed three times on whether he would accept November’s results.
In post-debate analysis, pundits discussed the possibility of Biden stepping down as the Democratic candidate. Lobbying for vice president Kamala Harris or state governors Gavin Newsom and Gretchen Whitmer to take over has reportedly begun.
CNN reported on Friday that Biden is not planning to drop out and intends to take part in a second debate in September.
Jill Biden knows debate was bad but not near conclusions of other Democrats, report says
Katie Rogers of The New York Times reports that people familiar with Jill Biden’s thoughts on the president’s performance in the debate say she knows it was bad but that she is nowhere near the conclusion some Democrats suggest she should be — that of encouraging him to step aside.
“Today’s appearance makes that very obvious,” says Rogers.
Oliver O’Connell28 June 2024 19:00
Watch: Biden says he can do job because stakes too high
Oliver O’Connell28 June 2024 18:50
Biden: ‘I know how to tell the truth. I know right from wrong. I know how to to this job’
“I know I’m not a young man. State the obvious … Folks, I don’t walk as easy as I used to. I don’t speak as well as I used to. I don’t debate as well as I used to. But I know what I do know. I know how to tell the truth. I know right from wrong. I know how to to this job … I know what millions of Americans do: When you get knocked down you get back up.”
President Joe Biden
Oliver O’Connell28 June 2024 18:37
‘I was at the Trump-Biden presidential debate and it became very clear what had gone wrong’
When the broadcast ended, the Biden surrogates were nowhere to be found — until they emerged, grim-faced, as a group, and the rumors began.
Andrew Feinberg reports on what happened behind the scenes at the first presidential debate in Atlanta, Georgia — and why the president’s performance went so badly.
I was at the Trump-Biden debate and it became very clear what had gone wrong
When the debate ended, the Biden surrogates were nowhere to be found — until they emerged, grim-faced, as a group, and the rumors began. Andrew Feinberg reports on what happened behind the scenes at the first presidential debate in Atlanta, Georgia — and why the president’s performance went so badly
Joe Sommerlad28 June 2024 18:30
Biden gives energetic remarks at North Carolina rally
President Joe Biden is giving energetic remarks to a campaign rally in Raleigh, North Carolina after a fiery introduction from First Lady Jill Biden.
The president spoke of last night’s debate when he appeared frail and quiet in marked contrast to the punchy Biden on stage today.
“I spent 90 minutes on stage debating a guy who has the morals of an alley cat … Did you see Trump last night? … The most lies told in a single debate.”
He called Trump, not just a “convicted felon, he’s a one-man crime wave” and “Donald Herbert Hoover Trump,” a reference to record job losses under his predecessor.
The crowd chanted “lock him up” about Trump.
Biden also said that, unlike the other guy, we’re going to stand up to dictators like Putin.
“America bows to no one!”
Oliver O’Connell28 June 2024 18:30
What you saw last night on the debate stage was Joe Biden: a president with integrity and character, who told the truth. And Donald Trump, who told lie after lie after lie.
First Lady Jill Biden
Oliver O’Connell28 June 2024 18:25
Oliver O’Connell28 June 2024 18:20
Gloomy Joe Scarborough laments Trump will be next president
The 81-year-old president hoped to silence critics who’ve questioned his age and mental fitness during Thursday evening’s first televised debate of the 2024 election on CNN.
James Liddell has the story.
Oliver O’Connell28 June 2024 18:15
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper introduces Biden
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper introducing Joe Biden and Jill Biden in Raleigh, North Carolina:
“This election is about what kind of country we want to be. Do we want to be Donald Trump’s America … where working families get the shaft? … where the government is nothing more than a tool for revenge and retribution? … where the end of Roe v Wade is a ‘great thing,’ politicians police women’s bodies, and daughters have fewer rights than their mothers? … where the president is a convicted felon, whose lies come too fast even for the fact checkers? … where the president tries to overthrow our democracy and says if he’s elected again he’ll be a dictator?”
Oliver O’Connell28 June 2024 18:14
The real loser: CNN blasted for unhinged debate with little fact checking on Trump’s lies and Biden’s rambling
The network received almost as much heat for its Thursday night debate performance as the two presidential candidates as viewers slammed CNN’s moderators’ hands-off approach, which allowed Biden to ramble and Trump to lie without pushback.
Viewers groaned over each exchange that ended with a “thank you” from moderators Dana Bash and Jake Tapper.
Joe Sommerlad28 June 2024 18:00
