Former President Barack Obama finally spoke out about his former vice president’s horrible performance in his debate against Donald Trump.
“Bad debate nights happen,” Obama, 62, wrote on X on Friday afternoon, breaking his silence hours after the first presidential debate of 2024.
The former president admitted that his 81-year-old friend did not put in any effort to convince voters that he should be commander in chief.
“But this election is still a choice between someone who has fought for ordinary people his entire life and someone who only cares about himself,” the 44th president continued, attacking Trump’s ego.
Obama’s endorsement of Biden also comes at a critical time, as many in the Democratic Party appear to be turning against the aging executive after their debate over the car crash.
Barack Obama came to the aid of his former vice president, saying Friday that bad debates happen a day after Joe Biden’s car crash on stage against Donald Trump
“Between someone who tells the truth, who knows right from wrong and tells it to the American people straight, and someone who blatantly lies for his own benefit,” Obama continued.
“Last night didn’t change that, and that’s why there’s so much at stake in November.”
Another Democratic superstar also praised the president on Friday, though he evidently did not mention the debate.
“The choice in this election remains very simple,” Hillary Clinton wrote in X.
“It’s a choice between someone who cares about you (your rights, your prospects, your future) or someone who only cares about themselves.”
“I will vote for Biden.”
The president himself even admitted that his performance on Thursday was lackluster, telling a crowd at a rally in North Carolina on Friday: “I don’t debate as well as I used to,” but “I can do this job.”
After the debate aired on CNN, the outlet conducted a poll that found two-thirds of voters thought former President Trump won the presidential debate.
Opinion writers at major American newspapers have published articles calling on Biden to step aside and allow another Democrat to take his place as party leader.
Although one of those speculated Democrats, California Governor Gavin Newsom, has said the idea of Biden stepping aside is a joke.
Some top Democratic lawmakers in Congress also admitted that Biden had a “bad night.”
“He’s a great president, but he got off to a bad start,” said former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. “Integrity in the face of dishonesty at its worst shows.”
Progressive Caucus co-chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., said, “He had a bad night.”
Biden spoke in a low, soft voice and often finished his response without using all of the time allotted to him.
“I think we all know it wasn’t what we wanted,” he added. “But he is the president, along with Democrats, who instituted the largest investment to address climate change.”
There were times during the debate when he seemed to freeze, once for quite some time, and had difficulty stringing together solid, coherent statements.
He also spoke very softly and did not always use the full time allotted to answer crucial policy questions.
Still, Biden has said he plans to engage in another debate with Trump in the fall.