President Biden's debate performance last night was disappointingly weak, inviting a lot of armchair quarterbacking. He could have acknowledged having a cold upfront, avoided overpreparing, or come out swinging against Trump's record as a felon and a rapist. He could have actually taken the performance-enhancing drugs the GOP accused him of using.
But the Democrats' best move now is to acknowledge the poor showing and focus on showcasing Biden at his best. At today's rally in the battleground state of North Carolina Biden was energetic, upbeat, articulate, and far more vigorous than during the debate. He looked, spoke, and behaved as if he was 10 years younger. If Biden can consistently deliver this level of performance on the campaign trail, voters may forget his debate misstep.
In his speech he accused Donald Trump of setting "a new record for the most lies told in a single debate" and contrasted their records on crime, stating, "On my watch, violent crime has hit a 50-year low." Biden described Trump as "a one-man crime wave." He also condemned Trump's role in the January 6th insurrection and criticized Trump's inaction during the event. Biden concluded with a moment of self-reflection, acknowledging his own limitations while emphasizing his commitment to honesty: "I don't walk as easy as I used to. I don't speak as smoothly as I used to. I don't debate as well as I used to. But I know what I do know. I know how to tell the truth."
