Florida Republicans are pulling no punches after President Joe Biden’s rambling, confused, and sometimes incoherent debate performance. The rematch debate had long been anticipated as the 81-year-old commander-in-chief’s opportunity to dispel voters’ fears about his age and mental acuity; he failed.
The debate between Trump and Biden aired on CNN on Thursday. According to a poll by the left-wing network, 67 percent of viewers said Trump won the debate.
“It was a disaster for Biden. I think that they’re going to definitely try to do something this summer, but if they don’t, there is no way the American people can give them another four years,” Governor Ron DeSantis said in an interview with Fox News following the debate.
“I think I witnessed the unofficial end of the Biden campaign and it will either officially end at the DNC this summer when they replace him, or it will end in November when he suffers a resounding defeat to Donald Trump,” ~ Gov. DeSantis
“You cannot watch that performance and say that he could serve another four-year term,” he added.
There are so many terrible moments to choose from the debate but this is a top contender for being the worst. pic.twitter.com/4eOY61p5jJ
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) June 28, 2024
Other elected Republicans in Florida agreed. Congressman Byron Donalds posted to X, “[T]here is NO WAY that Joe Biden should have 4 more years.”
Rep. Matt Gaetz said the event was an example of “Elder abuse.” In a post on X, he continued, “Only saving grace for Biden today is that he likely has no recollection of what happened on the debate stage.”
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Biden needed more than 7 days of debate prep
— Evan Power (@EvanPower) June 28, 2024
Democrats, meanwhile, are in disarray. Just one hour after the debate concluded, the Miami Herald editorial board published an op-ed, “Why Biden’s debate performance could spell election trouble for South Florida Democrats.” The paper assessed that Biden’s “sluggish showing” will likely kill Democratic voter turnout in November.
“Both [candidates] failed, but Biden’s failure was more damaging given the stakes. The debate very likely worsened voter concerns about his age and mental acuity. Biden was at times hard to understand and often lost his train of thought; he mumbled, his voice was raspy and he looked spaced out as he listened to his opponent speak.” ~ Miami Herald Editorial Board
“The presidential election is more than four months away. A lot can change before then,” the Herald said. “But Democrats have a lot of work — and explaining on behalf of Biden — to do.”
Biden’s worrying performance comes just days after his campaign chair appeared on a podcast to admit that Florida was no longer in play for Democrats. When ‘Impolitic’ host John Heilemann asked Monday whether Florida was still a “battleground state,” campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon answered flatly, “No.”
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DEVELOPING: Democrats on the Hill are panicked that Biden’s abysmal debate performance will hurt them down-ballot if Biden remains at the top of the ballot and could cost them control of the Senate, in addition to the White House, and cost them more seats in the House
— Paul Sperry (@paulsperry_) June 28, 2024
“Tonight President Trump delivered the greatest debate performance and victory in history to the largest voter audience in history, making clear exactly how he will improve the lives of every American,” the Trump campaign said Thursday night. “Joe Biden, on the other hand, showed exactly why he deserves to be fired.”
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