I nearly fell asleep on stage during debate with Trump: Joe Biden
American President Joe Biden has admitted that he almost slept on stage during last Thursday’s presidential debate against former President Donald Trump, blaming his poor performance on jet lag.
“I nearly fell asleep on stage,” Mr Biden said at a fundraiser in Virginia on Tuesday night. He added It “wasn’t very smart travelling around the world a couple of times” before debating Republican’s Mr Trump.
Mr Biden, 81, said “I didn’t listen to my staff,” adding that “It’s not an excuse but an explanation,” for his poor outing last Thursday.
America’s first presidential debate of the 2024 election season which was held Thursday saw Mr Biden appear confused, stuttering as he lost his flow of thought during the debate. But his campaign team said his shaky voice was a result of a cold.
A day after the debate, The New York Times in an editorial piece asked Mr Biden to step down for a better candidate to contest against Republican presidential candidate, Mr Trump.
Almost a week after the debate, Mr Biden is explaining his poor performance to American voters as many express concerns on his cognitive and mental decline.
Although last Thursday’s debate availed Mr Biden an opportunity to dismiss worries about his mental acuity, his incoherence and shaky voice during the debate raised more questions on whether he is fit for another four years in the White House.
Hosted by CNN, it was an historic debate for America as it was the first to feature a sitting president and a former president. For the duo of Mr Biden and Mr Trump, it was a rematch having debated in the 2020 presidential election season.
CNN’s poll on who won the debate showed 67 per cent chose Mr Trump as the winner, while 33 per cent voted Mr Biden winner of the debate.
With 5.5 marginal error, the poll also showed 57 per cent have no confidence in Mr Biden’s ability to lead America, while 44 per cent felt the same about Mr Trump.
With five months to the election scheduled for November 5, both candidates might still debate on other platforms to sell their ideas to American voters.
We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.
More from Peoples Gazette
Agriculture
FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology
The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices
Politics
Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku
“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”
Politics
Oluyede visits Ekiti governor, pledges support for Tinubu’s re-election
Wole Oluyede, PDP governorship candidate in the June 20 election in Ekiti, has promised to work for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
States
Humanitarian Crisis: Borno secures €61 million for peacebuilding
Borno has secured about €61 million in new funding from the United Nations and development partners to strengthen peacebuilding and recovery efforts.
Economy
Kano to push for fair share of federal appointments, recruitments: SSG
The Kano government has reiterated its determination to earnestly pursue and fully utilise whatever is legitimately due to the state under the Federal Character principle.
Politics
Mutfwang condemns attack on Plateau community
Governor Caleb Mutfwang has condemned the attack on Bin-mper community in Mangu council area, describing it as barbaric and unacceptable.
Heading 3
Kwara senator Mustapha resigns from APC after losing governorship ticket
Saliu Mustapha, lawmaker representing Kwara Central in the Senate, has resigned from the All Progressives Congress after losing the governorship ticket to Salihu Yakubu-Danladi.
Economy
‘Civilisation isn’t excuse for stupidity’, netizens react after lady calls UBA chairman ‘Tony’
At the ceremony, which honoured 374 young professionals who completed the bank’s graduate programme, the lady addressed Mr Elumelu, saying, “Good morning, Tony.”
