Democrats are in turmoil after Joe Biden's "horrific" showing at Thursday night's debate, with fears escalating over the president's physical and mental sharpness.
During the 2024 election's first presidential debate, broadcasted on CNN, Biden was seen with a feeble, hoarse voice, gazing blankly with his mouth agape. At one juncture, the 81-year-old seemed to lose his thread completely.
Biden frequently had trouble clearing his throat and finishing his sentences. In a particularly striking instance, he faltered while discussing immigration, leading Trump to quip: "I don't know if he knows what he said, either."
He even tangled his words when speaking about Medicare, confusingly claiming he "beat Medicare." Post-debate, Democrats were clearly unimpressed by Biden's outing.
READ MORE: Joe Biden v Donald Trump: 'Unwell' US President suffers gaffe-strewn nightmare in live TV debate
"Biden looks and sounds terrible. He's incoherent," lamented a former Biden administration staffer to CNN. A Democratic strategist described the situation as "Horrific,".
A campaign official from the Democratic camp bluntly stated: "We are f*****." Echoing the sentiment of alarm, Patrick Murray, director of Monmouth University's polling, commented on X: "Any Democrat who is not in panic mode is the stupidest person in America right now."
As the pressure mounts, President Biden is now facing demands to withdraw as the Democratic presidential candidate. Lord Kim Darroch, former British ambassador to the US, was one of those insisting the 81-year-old should bow out.
"Joe Biden should stand aside. This was a historically bad performance. He was inaudible, incoherent and lost his train of thought several times," he expressed on Radio 4's Today programme. "Some of his answers simply made no sense. The one 'we have beaten Medicaid' will be repeated a thousand times between now and the election. He should stand down - it's very hard to see him winning now," he continued.
Even members from within Biden's own party are suggesting he should resign. "It's hard to argue that Biden should be our nominee," a seasoned campaign operative confided to CNN. "If I was Gavin (Newsom) or Gretchen (Whitmer), I'd be making calls tonight," remarked another Democrat.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, seen as a potential Democratic frontrunner if Biden were to step aside, has rejected the idea of replacing Biden. Vice President Kamala Harris acknowledged Biden's "slow start" but emphasised that his achievements during his 3-1/2 years as president should take precedence over a single 90-minute episode.