“Step Aside Joe”: After First Pres. Debate, Democrats Reeling from Biden Missteps & Trump Lies

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Published 2024-06-28
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The first 2024 presidential debate between President Biden and former President Trump was held on Thursday night. It marked the first time a sitting president debated a former one. It also marked the two oldest candidates ever to run for president, with a combined age of 159. The 90-minute discussion hosted by CNN was more of an incoherent debacle than any substantive debate. Biden was halting and disjointed. He was hard to hear, muffled his lines and often appeared to lose his train of thought. Meanwhile, Trump repeatedly lied — his false claims not challenged by CNN moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash. “Joe Biden really failed to rise to this moment,” says Chris Lehmann, D.C. bureau chief for The Nation. “I expected nothing great, but it was so much worse.”

We also speak with Norman Solomon, executive director of the Institute for Public Accuracy and the co-founder of RootsAction.org, which sponsors the “Step Aside Joe!” campaign. He says Biden’s performance in the debate showed “he is clearly impaired” and unable to defeat Trump, which is “a gift to the extreme right wing.”

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All Comments (21)
  • @BegGuit
    All jokes aside. It’s kind of disgusting that the Biden camp have not been honest with themselves and allows Biden to even do the debate when he’s clearly not well. He should retire.
  • I just cant believe that it took this debate for the media to be honest about Joes condition. This has been going on for years!
  • I don't think the American voters should be so easily forgiving of a party and a media that forced this mess upon us.
  • @asmaben1114
    It marks the failing of a system still called Democratic, while it has been distorted to accomodate an oligarchy
  • President Biden: "We finally beat medicare." That, folks, was senility on full display. There is no possible way that feeble, geriatric, discombobulated, incoherent, slobbering mess will ever survive until January of 2025.
  • @LCarrTXn
    If you’ve ever had to take the keys to the car away from your Father because he is a danger to himself and those around him, then you can understand why we want Biden out of office. It’s not hatred. It’s time.
  • @azbowhunter62
    As a business owner, if a man like Bidens mental state asked me for a job, i would decline 100%. Why would anyone vote him into office to run the biggest business in the world? Thats just one of many questions.
  • @GoldSkye
    We watched two men with dementia argue on stage. Biden was definitely sundowning.
  • If Jill Biden really cares for her husband, it is she who should make the FIRST MOVE and ask him to step aside (in his interest and the country's interest) and retire gracefully rather than be continually embarrassed and humiliated at home and around the world as it unfolded at the first debate.
  • Well inquiring minds want to know "WHO THE HELL WAS REALLY RUNNING THE COUNTRY"?
  • @organjoe
    To echo a previous comment made: Who the HELL is running the country? The Dems owe the citizens an explanation NOW!
  • Both are absolutely awful, how neither party could come up with anyone better is just bizarre, who chooses the candidates?
  • @QLHOOQ
    The saddest part of debate night was not the debate but Jill Biden holding on to Joe Biden as he walked down 3 steps off the debate stage...This was a level 3 senior moment....
  • I'm a moderate and I couldn't agree with the gentleman from Step Aside Joe more. We need more open and honest conversations about moving past ego and legacy in favor of truly serving what's best for the country. Rapidly followed by "we appreciate your service Joe, it's not your fight any longer, there's too much at stake, we need you to step aside and enjoy the retirement you've earned."
  • He's the same guy you voted for in 2020😂😂. " He's the same guy that you say run circles around his staff.😂😂😂 He should have never been president.😢
  • The fact that more than 80% of people want him to step down while still can't do nothing about it makes me question US democracy.