President Joe Biden’s team attempted damage control following his lackluster debate performance against President Donald Trump by attributing his poor showing to fatigue from recent overseas trips. During a brief exchange with pool reporters on Tuesday, Biden claimed his globe-trotting shortly before the debate left him exhausted on stage.
“I decided to travel around the world a couple of times … shortly before the debate … I didn’t listen to my staff … and then I almost fell asleep on stage,” Biden explained, adding, “It’s not an excuse but an explanation.”
This attempt to explain his performance came amid growing calls for him to step down as the presumptive Democratic nominee. Critics argue that Biden’s declining mental state is becoming increasingly apparent and concerning.
Despite Biden’s justification, a report from the New York Times cast doubt on the idea that a lack of rest was to blame. The report cited an insider who revealed that Biden’s debate preparation was carefully managed to ensure he had ample rest, including daily naps and starting rehearsals no earlier than 11 a.m. The president’s team had even cut his debate prep by two days to allow him to rest at his Delaware home before joining advisers at Camp David.
Adding to the skepticism, CNN’s White House correspondent MJ Lee challenged the notion that Biden’s trips to Europe had such a profound impact. She pointed out that there was a 12-day gap between his return to the States and the debate, during which he spent a week at Camp David focusing solely on debate preparation.
“I find it a little bit puzzling and, frankly, I’m not sure that a lot of people are going to find this reassuring,” Lee remarked. “If anything, some folks might hear this and be, you know, even more concerned.”
Biden’s explanation, intended to mitigate the fallout from his debate performance, seems to have only added to the growing concerns about his ability to effectively lead the nation.
