US President Joe Biden admitted he “almost fell asleep” during last week’s debate with his Republican rival Donald Trump, attributing his lackluster performance to jet lag. President Joe Biden, 81, cited extensive international travel leading up to the event as a factor, saying he had been “around the world a couple of times, going through around 100 time zones” before the debate.
During a campaign event on Tuesday in McLean, Virginia, President Joe Biden acknowledged the situation, stating, “I didn’t have my best night. I wasn’t very smart. I decided to travel around the world a couple of times, going through around 100 time zones before the debate. Didn’t listen to my staff and came back and nearly fell asleep on stage… That’s no excuse, but it is an explanation.”
Jet Lag and Travel Schedule
According to Reuters, President Joe Biden traveled to France and Italy within two weeks in June and then flew overnight from the G7 Summit in Bari, Italy, to Los Angeles for a fundraiser with former US President Barack Obama. Before the June 27 debate, he spent six days at Camp David preparing for the event. While White House officials attributed President Joe Biden’s performance to a cold, his re-election campaign has been downplaying concerns about his age.
President Joe Biden, already the oldest serving American President, would turn 82 by the time he is sworn in next year if he wins the November 5 election. Following the debate, a Reuters/Ipsos poll revealed that one in three Democrats thought President Joe Biden should end his re-election bid. The survey also found that Donald Trump and Biden each maintain the support of 40% of registered voters, indicating that Biden has not lost ground since the debate. A CBS News poll released on Monday showed that 45% of Democrats want Biden to step aside.
Calls for President Joe Biden to Step Down
Lloyd Doggett, a Democratic lawmaker in the House of Representatives, became the first in his party to publicly call for President Joe Biden to step down, citing the President’s debate performance. Lloyd Doggett stated, “My decision to make these strong reservations public is not done lightly nor does it in any way diminish my respect for all that President Biden has achieved. Recognizing that, unlike Donald Trump, President President Joe Biden’s first commitment has always been to our country, not himself, I am hopeful that he will make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw. I respectfully call on him to do so.”
As President Joe Biden faces increasing pressure from within his party, his re-election campaign continues efforts to mitigate concerns over his age and cognitive ability to serve another term.
