The Debate Went Just as Democrats Feared

“It’s a shame this debate didn’t happen during a Democratic primary. Then we could’ve avoided nominating Biden at all,” one senior aide to a swing-seat Democrat told NOTUS.

President Joe Biden speaks during a presidential debate with Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump.

Gerald Herbert/AP

President Joe Biden came to Atlanta to underscore the binary choice before voters, prove that he has the vigor and capacity for another term and show why he’s the preferable candidate to Donald Trump.

Biden ended the night with new questions about whether he’ll even be the nominee.

Democrats feared that Biden would look more languid than lucid, that a poor performance would overshadow whatever Trump said. Their worst fears were confirmed.