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The first presidential debate of 2024 was full of extraordinary moments.
From the start, President Biden’s advanced age was on full display after he froze mid-sentence just 12 minutes in. He also repeatedly cleared his throat due to a cold.
That was just the beginning of his gaffes and mumblings throughout the debate that has sent Democrats into a full-blown panic, leading some to say Biden should be replaced at the top of the 2024 ticket.
Biden later stammered another response about the southern border crisis, to which Trump replied: “I really don’t know what he just said.”
Meanwhile, Trump vehemently denied calling dead US soldiers “suckers and losers” and was put on the spot for his alleged affair with porn star Stormy Daniels, which he denied.
The two candidates discussed in depth the state of the economy, Medicare, the opioid crisis and a host of other issues of utmost importance to Americans voting in November.
Democratic and Republican political pundits almost all agreed on who clearly came out on top at the end of the night. DailyMail.com analyzes the main political thinkers:
The first presidential debate of 2024 was full of shocking moments
David Litt: Biden will ‘lose the news cycle,’ but Trump’s comments were damaging
President Obama’s top speechwriter David Litt told DailyMail.com that Biden’s cold was “unfortunate” as voters are already concerned about his age.
However, “Biden got better and better as the debate went on: his voice got louder and he called out Trump’s lies more aggressively.”
‘The question will be whether conventional wisdom was established in Biden’s weakest first 15 minutes.’
He went on to say that the substance of Trump’s responses — on January 6, “cozying up” to Putin and “cheating on his pregnant wife with a porn star” — are damaging to the former president.
David Litt, President Obama’s top speechwriter, said Biden’s cold was “unfortunate” as voters are already concerned about his age.
David Litt told DailyMail.com: ‘The question will be whether conventional opinion was established in Biden’s weakest first 15 minutes’
‘Undecided voters have concerns about Biden’s age and Trump’s temperament. I suspect both were exacerbated tonight,’ Litt told DailyMail.com.
‘Biden didn’t have a good debate and I think he will lose the news cycle, but Trump’s comments will likely matter more in the long run.’
Jonathan Bronitsky: “Flawless victory for Trump” that “crushed” Biden
Bronitsky, a former chief speechwriter for Attorney General Bill Barr and co-founder and CEO of ATHOS, called it “the most lopsided debate victory in modern presidential history.”
He told DailyMail.com that Trump was “all business” and was “confident but concise”.
Bronitsky added that the former president “waited patiently to hit Biden with the force and precision of a Hellfire missile.”
“Now we know: There weren’t enough stocks of experimental drugs on the East Coast to keep Biden from getting distracted, gasping for air.”
David Axelrod: There is a “sense of shock” about Biden’s performance
Axelrod, a former senior Obama adviser, said on CNN that if the debate is judged on policy, Biden scored points on abortion and the economy.
From the moment the historic debate began, President Biden’s advanced age was on full display.
‘There is a sense of shock at how it came out at the beginning of this debate. About what her voice sounded like. He seemed a little disoriented.
“There will be discussions about whether it should continue,” he added, saying he did not know “whether they will lead to anything.”
Jenny Beth Martin: ‘Biden’s attacks on Trump failed’
Martin, president of the Tea Party Patriotic Citizens Fund, told DailyMail.com there was a “clear contrast” between the candidates.
“Tonight, President Trump presented a strong and positive contrast to President Biden on the issues that matter most to grassroots conservatives and all Americans: inflation, the border crisis, crime and corruption.”
‘Biden’s attacks on Trump were unsuccessful, as Trump managed to successfully contrast the success of his four years in office with Biden’s miserable four years. Trump won the debate, simple as that.’
Martin, president of the Tea Party Patriotic Citizens Fund, told DailyMail.com there was a “clear contrast” between the candidates.
Max Burns: It’s ‘political malpractice’ to say the debate helped Biden
Democratic strategist Max Burns issued a scathing assessment of the X debate.
‘I am not a Biden campaign staffer, nor am I a Bidenworld confidant. “I don’t know if high-level conversations are taking place right now about Biden’s troubling performance, but it would be political malpractice to pretend that Biden’s campaign moved forward tonight.”
“If Biden speaks to the American people like this, imagine how he is perceived by foreign leaders and adversaries. The stakes are high in this race; our national security depends on voters electing President Trump.”
Jessica Anderson: The debate ‘killed’ Biden’s candidacy
Anderson, president of Sentinel Action Fund, told DailyMail.com that US national security depends on Trump winning in November based on Biden’s performance.
Anderson, president of Sentinel Action Fund, told DailyMail.com that America’s national security depends on Trump winning in November.
‘Nixon vs. Kennedy is no longer the textbook example of how a televised debate can end a nomination. This has supplanted it.’
“If Biden speaks to the American people like this, imagine how he is perceived by foreign leaders and adversaries. The stakes are high in this race; our national security depends on voters electing President Trump.”
