Democrats considering replacing Biden as nominee after disastrous presidential debate

 

The fallout from US President Joe Biden’s performance in the first presidential debate is such that even allies and supporters have called on him to drop out.

While former President Donald Trump basked in his characteristic bluster even though he peddled falsehoods while and avoided answering most of the policy questions, Biden faltered through his sentences, lost his train of thoughts at times, and lacked energy that underscored the long-running questions over his physical capabilities to go through the tumults of the American presidency for four more years.

Even before the debate ended, panic had set in among the rank and file of the Democratic Party and reports had started pouring in that the party leaders were willing to go back to the drawing board and fundamentally reshape the presidential contest.

Within minutes of the beginning of the debate, as it became clear that the raspy-voiced Biden was not going to ace it, the Democrats who have defended Biden for months began making frenzied calls and sending out messages and started discussions whether it was too late to persuade Biden to drop out of the race in favour of someone younger, according to The New York Times.

In the words of one veteran Democratic strategic, the well of support for Biden has run dry with the Thursday night’s debate.

"Biden will face a crescendo of calls to resign. Joe was a huge source of sympathy among Democrats. This has withered. Political parties exist to win. The guy on stage with Trump can't win. "Fear of Trump stifled criticism of Biden. Now those same concerns will fuel calls for him to resign," the strategist told the newspaper.

Democrats are desperately trying to understand the impact of the debate

Democrats are desperately trying to understand the impact of Thursday night's debate.