Barack Obama defends Joe Biden, says ‘bad debate nights happen’
Former US President Barack Obama stood by President Joe Biden and acknowledged that “bad debate nights” happen after the latter’s subdued performance in the first presidential debate with his Republican rival Donald Trump.
Former US President Barack Obama on Friday (local time) backed his Democrat colleague and President Joe Biden following his subdued performance at the first presidential debate, which was marked by his stumbles and loss of train of thought. He said, although it was a “bad debate night” for Biden, the stakes remained high in the November 5 election.
Biden, 81, and his Republican rival, Donald Trump, 78, are the oldest candidates vying for the White House. Voters have raised concerns about age and mental health, particularly Biden’s.
In a tweet, Obama, who served as the President from 2008 to 2017, said the election was a choice between “someone who has fought for ordinary folks his entire life and someone who only cares about himself”.
“Bad debate nights happen. Trust me, I know. But this election is still a choice between someone who has fought for ordinary folks his entire life and someone who only cares about himself. Between someone who tells the truth, who knows right from wrong and will give it to the American people straight and someone who lies through his teeth for his own benefit. Last night didn’t change that, and it’s why so much is at stake in November,” Obama said.
During Obama’s eight-year tenure, Biden served as the Vice President.
Biden’s verbal stumbles and occasionally meandering responses in the debate on Thursday heightened voter concerns that he might not be fit to serve another four-year term and prompted some of his fellow Democrats to wonder whether they could replace him as their candidate for the presidential election.
On the other hand, Trump, who was the President from 2017 to 2021, put forward a series of falsehoods throughout the debate, while the focus afterwards was squarely on Biden, especially among Democrats.
Despite a feeble debate performance that dismayed his fellow Democrats, Biden remained adamant, saying he intended to defeat Trump. The Democratic President, however, gave no signs he would consider dropping out of the race.
Vice President Kamala Harris admitted that while it was a “slow start” for Biden at the debate, she said at a rally in Las Vegas that
“this race will not be decided by one night in June”, The Associated Press reported.