'A disaster so far': Biden freezing on stage during debate draws fire on social media

Sudiksha Kochi

June 27, 2024 at 10:07 p.m.·2 min read

WASHINGTON − President Joe Biden freezing on stage when discussing healthcare and the economy quickly drew fire on X, formerly Twitter.

The freeze came when Biden was slamming former President Donald Trump for having high debt levels under his administration and mentioned increasing taxes on billionaires. He concluded his answer after a brief pause with “if we finally beat Medicare.”

Mike Murphy, a Republican strategist and NBC News analyst, wrote, “Sorry, I’m voting for President Biden but a disaster so far.” Stephen Hayes, editor and CEO of The Dispatch, tweeted, “Let the Dem panic begin.”

Former top Obama communications person Johanna Maska wrote, "What the hell is he saying? Dems, this doesn't work." Another Twitter user going by the handle @AidanThompsonKS wrote, "Biden is freezing 10 minutes in This is embarrassing."

Jun 27, 2024; Atlanta, GA, USA; California Governor Gavin Newsom speaks to gathering of media at the Georgia Techâ€™s McCamish Pavilion prior to the CNN Presidential Debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump held at CNN's studios in Atlanta. CNN Anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash are moderators of the debate. Mandatory Credit: Jack Gruber-USA TODAY

Some have even called for Biden to be replaced. American journalist Nicholas Kristof wrote on X that he wishes "Biden would reflect on this debate performance and then announce his decision to withdraw from the race, throwing the choice of Democratic nominee to the convention. Someone like @gretchenwhitmer or @SherrodBrown or@SecRaimondo could still jump in and beat Trump."

I wish Biden would reflect on this debate performance and then announce his decision to withdraw from the race, throwing the choice of Democratic nominee to the convention. Someone like @gretchenwhitmer or @SherrodBrown or @SecRaimondo could still jump in and beat Trump.
— Nicholas Kristof (@NickKristof) June 28, 2024

Alyssa Farah Griffin, former White House director of strategic communications under the Trump administration, said, "Hearing from countless viewers of all political stripes and the consensus is Biden needs to be replaced. It’s worse than I believe most people imagined."

Civil rights activist DeRay McKesson said "there’s too much at stake to let the Democratic Party keep doing whatever the “strategy” is that got us in this position tonight at this 'debate.'"

There’s too much at stake to let the Democratic Party keep doing whatever the “strategy” is that got us in this position tonight at this “debate.”

Trump is quite literally the worst possible person to be President in generations and that’s saying something.
— deray (@deray) June 28, 2024

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden freezing on stage during debate draws fire on X

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