Presidential debate megathread (debate 1: June 27, 9pm EDT, CNN)

[Pericles]

This definitely makes the case for a major political failure that these two are the choice. Neither are making much sense.

[Pericles]

It's just an endless stream of BS with Trump.

[Pericles]

It's so much bullsh**t, but the coherence difference is just stark.

To an extent but Trump is also less coherent than a President should be, and he does seem to have aged.

[Pericles]

Trump shrugged when asked if he'd stay in NATO?! WTF.

[Pericles]

Maybe this will push up the third party vote or people who decide not to turn out at all, compared to the effect on persuasion.

[Pericles]

Trump seriously wants to prosecute Biden over his Ukraine BS? He certainly isn't moderating his positions at all today.

[Pericles]

Trump came across more coherently and with better body language, but he has hurt himself by admitting to crazy positions. That will keep getting replayed against him.

[Pericles]

Biden has a point but him saying "There was no inflation when I became President" will get clipped against him.

[Pericles]

At least there is finally a climate question.

[Pericles]

This has gotten to the place where they are arguing over golf handicaps?!

[Pericles]

Biden's mental acuity is fine imo, he has demonstrated the ability to do the job. However, he left a negative impression on apolitical people. The worry is the poll numbers. Democrats should think again if they would have a better chance with Harris or someone else, because it's all about beating Trump.

[Pericles]

Nicole Wallace says she was on the phone during some of the debate a conversation is happening inside the Biden Camp and within Democratic circles.

“A conversation” could mean literally anything.

I'm on record here as saying I didn't believe Biden could be replaced, but after tonight's performance - quite easily the worst debate performance I've ever seen, perhaps with only Dole in 1996 (or 76) or Mondale in 84 doing worse - I think this could actually be a thing. Again, I am on record as saying that it would be impossible, but tonight was that bad.

people keep saying this and I'm kind of curious why do you think this debate performance is the worse you have ever seen

I feel like I must have watched a different debate from everybody else because Biden performance to me was no worse here than he does in a typical press conference. Sure that they was not as sharp as he used to be but I didn't see anything to justify calling his performance the worst ever lol

The first 2020 debate was still even worse to watch, but this was scarier.

[Pericles]

Biden couldn’t fight history at the first debate

There’s one word that best describes Democrats’ reaction to President Joe Biden’s performance in Thursday’s debate: panic. His faltering appearance alongside former President Donald Trump has been enough to prompt calls for his swift exit from the race in favor of another candidate. It wasn’t ideal, to put it mildly — but looking back at recent history, Biden’s poor showing was hardly unprecedented.

https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/biden-debate-trump-obama-clinton-rcna159511

I really don't like these comparisons to other rough debates by incumbents, whether it be Reagan in '84, Bush in '04, or Obama in '12.  None of those guys looked as bad as Biden did throughout their debates.  Reagan was the closest parallel but questions about his fitness were not as loud as Biden's (and of course he recovered in debate #2 shortly thereafter which Biden can't do).  Bush and Obama just had bad nights, moreso Bush, but their mentall and physical fitness for the job was never in question.

It's a deeper negative perception yes. If 72% think your brain isn't strong enough to do the job, then that's so hard to come back from.