The Biden campaign is struggling to remain optimistic as President Joe Biden's (D) presidential debate performance has received widespread disappointment. Shortly after the debate's conclusion, news stations like MSNBC and CNN reported that Democratic operatives were not impressed and were worried about the future of the campaign. During an interview with CNN, Vice President Kamala Harris (D) attempted to quell any fears regarding President Biden's debate performance.
Immediately after the debate, CNN personalities like Van Jones, David Axelrod, and John King discussed the lackluster performance of the president. Jones, who formerly served as an advisor to President Barack Obama (D) disappointedly admitted "I love Joe Biden, but that hurt."
The president's performance has caused an uproar among Democrats, and some who are running for election are debating if they should campaign with the president after a poor performance. CNN reports that, behind closed doors, Democrats called President Biden's performance a "disaster" and a "train wreck."
As criticism mounts among Democrats, Vice President Harris discussed the debate with Anderson Cooper, arguing instead that the last 3 and a half years of President Biden's tenure should not be overlooked for a ninety-minute debate.
When pressed on President Biden's cognitive ability during the debate, Vice President Harris instead chose to distinguish President Biden and President Trump. "What we saw tonight is the president making a very clear contrast with Donald Trump on all the issues that matter to the American people."
When asked if President Biden's performance indicated a cause for concern, the vice president disregarded any concern. "Yes, it was a slow start, but it was a strong finish. What became very clear through the course of the night is that Joe Biden is fighting on behalf of the American people on substance, on policy, on performance. Joe Biden is extraordinarily strong."
"There's one person on that stage who has the endorsement of his vice president," she expressed.
