‘That was painful’: Democrat pundits mourn Biden implosion

Oh dear. The Democrats are reeling from Joe Biden’s disastrous performance in the first presidential debate of the election. After the US president stopped and started, looked puzzled and struggled to answer questions, commentators are out in force suggesting Biden is not fit for a second term. Yet this time something has changed. It’s not just the usual critics. For a sense of how this time, Biden is in real trouble take a look at what Democrat pundits are saying.

The CNN debate panel was a case in point. The US broadcaster is known for being the channel for Democrats – and against Donald Trump at all costs. Yet during and after the debate, there was a funereal feel to proceedings. Joe Biden’s former director of communications could not hide her disappointment. Kate Bedingfield declared: ‘there’s no two ways about it, that was not a good debate for Joe Biden’. Van Jones, a former Obama staffer who now serves as a regular CNN political commentator, summed it up when he suggested Biden could now have to consider if there is a need ‘for this party to consider a different way forward’:

‘That’s a good man. He loves his country, he’s doing the best he can. But he had a test to meet tonight to restore confidence of the country and the base and he failed to do that. I think there’s a lot of people who were going to want to see him consider taking a different course now. We’re still far from our convention and there is time for this party to consider a different way forward if he will allow us to do that.’

Next up, former senator Claire McCaskill. The Democrat had the damning verdict that Biden had one job and – guess what – ‘he didn’t do it’.

😲Former Sen. @clairecmc: Joe Biden had one thing he had to do tonight, and he didn't do it. He had one thing he had to accomplish and that was reassure America that he was up to the job at his age, and he failed at that.‼️ pic.twitter.com/CLcoRiJba1
— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) June 28, 2024

Still, at least one women is still smiling. Step forward Jill Biden. The First Lady was all smiles after the show telling her husband he had done a ‘great job’.

Jill Biden just gave the most cringe intro for Joe Biden after the debate:

“Joe you did such a great job .. What did Trump do? LIE..” 😳 pic.twitter.com/7Zhw6dMGBG
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) June 28, 2024