WASHINGTON — If you’re embarrassed or queasy after President Joe Biden’s performance in last night’s presidential debate, you’re in good company.
Dems are deflated. Of the 27 mostly current and a few former Democratic members of Congress Raw Story texted for reaction — all typically responsive — only three readily replied with thoughts on Biden’s performance.
That’s abnormal. Consider that after a jury found former President Donald Trump guilty on 34 counts in his Manhattan fraud trial, the same lot of Democrats quickly responded to Raw Story’s inquiries with giddy — if sanctimonious — texts, even responded to questions from halfway around the globe or promptly called us back. They all had lots to say.
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Not Thursday night. The Democratic Party is now debating how to right the listing SS Biden — or consider its scuttling.
Reached late Thursday, one powerful congressional Democrat demanded, “ON BACKGROUND ONLY,” so they — a duly elected public official who’s slated to net a key committee chairmanship if Democrats recapture the House in November — could speak openly, if anonymously.
“This was awful,” the lawmaker replied. “While Biden got better as the debate went on, the horrible start is what people will remember.”
Biden looked feeble. His hand tremors are visible. He froze, or lost his train of thought, or stumbled over his words time after time during the 90-minute debate.
U.S. President Joe Biden (R) and Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump participate in the CNN Presidential Debate at the CNN Studios on June 27, 2024 in Atlanta, Ga. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
The debate should have been a bad night for Trump — the former president antagonized anti-abortion supporters, lied about his presidential record and grossly rewrote the history of Jan. 6, 2021 — except Biden’s debate doldrums overshadowed matters.
Based on Raw Story’s unrequited texts to a smattering of key area codes — including 313 (Michigan), 330 (Ohio), 804 (Virginia), 305 (Florida) and even progressive 925 (California) — the painful performance is rippling through Democratic circles coast to coast.
And now, with national polls effectively tied, and Trump enjoying a slight overall edge in key swing states, the Democratic side of the great political divide is disheartened. Dispirited. Dismayed. They’re also flummoxed by their arch enemy — a man they once defeated at the polls and impeached twice, because they truly believe he’s the embodiment of anti-American ideals.
On Thursday night, Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA) didn’t want to talk much about Biden. He focused his comments on Trump.
“I can’t believe how good Trump is at misstating and making it up as he goes,” Correa texted Raw Story. “Biden started slow and then picked up … We got straight talk from Biden. We got very few straight talk from Trump. Need to fact check Trump.”
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When Democratic members of Congress see Trump, they also see doom. And they want the public to see what they see.
“I was here Jan 6th., Trump really sidestepped this,” Correa said of Trump’s debate answers to Jan. 6-related questions from moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash. “And Trump did not say if he’d accept the election results for 2024.”
Democrats still love Biden the man. Some just wish he’d convalesce away from the national stage, it seems.
One Democratic lawmaker provided a motherly-to-scholarly scolding for Raw Story interrupting her personal debate viewing party.
“I’m not answering questions,” Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA) from the all-important Philadelphia suburbs texted Raw Story just over an hour into the slow moving debacle of a debate. “I’m listening.”
Raw Story circled back after the debate for a comment. Dean did not reply.
Right at midnight, one last Democrat replied to two Raw Story questions:
Screengrab of Raw Story’s texts with former Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA) on Thursday night after the debate.
1.) Do you still trust Biden as your party’s standard bearer?
2.) Are you more nervous-to-worried now than you were this morning?
“No,” former Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA) replied. “And yes.”
