US President Joe Biden has come under fire from Democratic supporters, donors and former and current aides for his lackluster performance in the recent debate with Republican rival Donald Trump.
Trump repeatedly made blatant lies, including claiming he would win the 2020 election, which Biden was unable to effectively refute, prompting calls for him to rethink his reelection effort and replace his top advisers.
Some close to Biden believe he over-prepared and exhausted himself, and one of his main fundraisers, John Morgan, has called for the firing of Anita Dunn, a senior aide who played Trump in pre-debate rehearsals, and her husband, Bob Bauer.
“My only request was that he be rested before the debate, but he was exhausted. He was sick,” said one Biden aide who appealed to no avail in the days before the debate. “What a poor decision to send him out sick and exhausted.”
The debate strategy, approved by campaign chair Jen O'Malley Dillon and supported by Dunn, included a rigorous preparation schedule at Camp David.
Before the debate, Biden's approval ratings had begun to rise following Trump's forgery conviction and the president's successful trip to Europe, but critics argue Biden should have focused more on the broader vision he had to convey to the public and that he was not sufficiently rested before the debate.
The decision to debate came as a surprise to some advisers because Biden's team rejected a traditional debate organized by the Commission on Presidential Debates, opting for the more controlled CNN debate format. Nevertheless, Biden's performance was widely criticized, with his appearance and demeanor described as pale, dazed and often incoherent.
In the debate's aftermath, Biden gave a powerful speech in North Carolina and vowed to continue his campaign with the backing of many donors and Democrats, but Democrats are already discussing alternative candidates for the 2024 election.
Trump repeatedly made blatant lies, including claiming he would win the 2020 election, which Biden was unable to effectively refute, prompting calls for him to rethink his reelection effort and replace his top advisers.
Some close to Biden believe he over-prepared and exhausted himself, and one of his main fundraisers, John Morgan, has called for the firing of Anita Dunn, a senior aide who played Trump in pre-debate rehearsals, and her husband, Bob Bauer.
“My only request was that he be rested before the debate, but he was exhausted. He was sick,” said one Biden aide who appealed to no avail in the days before the debate. “What a poor decision to send him out sick and exhausted.”
The debate strategy, approved by campaign chair Jen O'Malley Dillon and supported by Dunn, included a rigorous preparation schedule at Camp David.
Before the debate, Biden's approval ratings had begun to rise following Trump's forgery conviction and the president's successful trip to Europe, but critics argue Biden should have focused more on the broader vision he had to convey to the public and that he was not sufficiently rested before the debate.
The decision to debate came as a surprise to some advisers because Biden's team rejected a traditional debate organized by the Commission on Presidential Debates, opting for the more controlled CNN debate format. Nevertheless, Biden's performance was widely criticized, with his appearance and demeanor described as pale, dazed and often incoherent.
In the debate's aftermath, Biden gave a powerful speech in North Carolina and vowed to continue his campaign with the backing of many donors and Democrats, but Democrats are already discussing alternative candidates for the 2024 election.
