Without the pop and circumstance of a traditional audience full of VIPs, President Joe Biden and former President Trump took the stage for last night’s Presidential Debate. Nestled inside CNN studios in downtown Atlanta, the two major party candidates traded blows over immigration and other issues as well as personal fitness.
Trump questioned Biden’s physical and mental health, saying he could best the President in a round of golf, while Biden cited Trump’s legal challenges as evidence that he was unfit for office. The New York Times kept live-updating data analytics throughout the night, while pundits from both sides of the aisle live tweeted their reactions and responses.
As the dust settled at the end of the 90-minute debate, Democrats expressed dismay at Bidens’ performance. Biden entered the debate with Americans already expecting him to perform poorly, but even with low expectations Democrats began sounding the alarm.
The Hill quoted one Biden ally saying “This is an honest to God nightmare. I can’t believe what I’m watching. I am watching us lose this election in slow motion.” MSNBC’s Joy Reid described her phone going off throughout the night from Democrat insiders experiencing “somewhere approaching panic.”
Trump currently leads in national polling and in key battleground states, while Biden has had trouble consolidating his base and is bleeding support from key demographics such as African American men.
The next Presidential debate is set for September 10 and will be hosted by ABC. Details concerning the Vice Presidential debate is pending Trump’s announcement of a running mate.