Duel with an aftertaste – Biden off the court: Now there is pure panic!

For Democrats, the motto of the evening in Atlanta was: “Let’s go, Joe!” Biden could not realize this hope. Especially at the beginning, the American president, who apparently had a cold, seemed disoriented. The Democrat stammered and was sometimes talked into the wall by his opponent. The biggest opponents of the evening were numbers, words and his voice.

In one sentence he confused trillionaires and billionaires, in the next he confused millions and billions. The pauses were sometimes so long that it was painful to watch. Many sentences also had no end.

Which doesn’t mean Trump was much better. The Republican seemed noticeably fresher, but few of his words corresponded to reality. However, the moderator duo of organizer CNN did little to nothing to refute Trump’s lies. Only after the duel did the broadcaster point out the many false accusations. For example, Trump stated that some states led by the Democrats would execute newborn babies.

The appearance is causing panic among Democrats
And so it was up to Biden to face his opponent. The result: Even during the debate, disappointment was expressed in the Democratic camp about the 81-year-old’s performance. The Tenor: This is a catastrophe!

The stakes were high for Biden. The prime-time debate was intended to prove that he was mentally and physically fit for another term. “Before Thursday night, many Americans had expressed concerns about Joe Biden’s age and fitness for office. To say that this debate did little to silence those concerns would be one of the biggest understatements of the year,” the BBC said in an initial analysis.

Biden’s cognitive problems became especially audible and visible when it came to the subject of Corona. After a few slips of the tongue, the 81-year-old, who used to suffer from a severe stutter, squeezed out the following words: “We have finally defeated Medicare.” There was a pitiful emptiness in his eyes then. Covid was probably meant. “Medicare” is social health insurance for older and disabled Americans.

The scene described for review:

Trump seized on the statement with a pun: “He’s right. He actually defeated Medicare. He killed it.”

Who is a better golfer?
The already heated debate also repeatedly descended into the absurd. Trump and Biden argued about who was a better golfer. As evidence of physical fitness. He could hit the ball very far, Trump said in response to a question about his age. “I think I’m in very good shape,” the 78-year-old emphasized.

Biden said he would be happy to play golf with Trump if the Republican carried his own bag. “Do you think you can do that?” the US president asked. The 81-year-old also commented on the Republican’s ample weight.

Cognitive testing as a campaign tool
Trump also boasted that he had taken two cognitive tests. “I passed both of them with flying colors.” He wanted to see how Biden did on such a test. “Make one. Just one, a very simple one, just the first five questions.

Although Trump did not specify which tests he did, the most common questions are about animal identification, as well as questions about word similarities and how to draw a specific time on a clock. The fact that a convicted felon and leading candidate is actively campaigning with the ability to memorize simple words says a lot about the state of American politics.

Viewers rate Trump significantly better
The Republicans may still feel like they’ve won. For 67 percent of respondents, Trump emerged as the clear winner of the debate, according to CNN. US political commentators have expressed disgust in their initial assessments of Biden’s debate performance.

“There will be discussions about whether he will continue,” said David Axelrod, chief strategist for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. Pundit John King now sees “a deep, broad and very aggressive panic in the Democratic Party.” “Biden’s answers were out of context in many cases,” political reporter Abby Phillip added.

Journalist Bastian Brauns gives impressions on the spot:

Even Biden’s deputy Kamala Harris spoke of a “bumpy start.” We’ve had a president who was a stark contrast to his rival, and Trump lied “over and over again.”

Will Biden be replaced?
“People can argue about style, but ultimately this election has to be about substance,” Harris said. During her three-and-a-half years in the White House, she has experienced Biden as a man who is doing a successful job for the American people, the vice president said. Harris is already being discussed as a potential replacement.

After this debate, it is clear that unscripted public appearances pose the greatest danger to the 81-year-old. The Democrat now needs all the help he can get. After the blows with Trump, Biden actually said, “Let’s go, Joe.” The US president was supported by his wife Jill as he left the stage.