U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris stated that Joe Biden was "slow at the beginning of the debate" against Republican opponent Donald Trump, but she believed he "finished strongly." She added, "It was a slow start, that's obvious to everyone. I won't argue this point," after Biden's faltering performance raised concerns about his candidacy.
One Democrat who spent some time working in the Biden administration remarked, "Biden looks terrible. He's incoherent." Another Democratic activist described Biden's performance as "horrible." A Democratic campaign worker said, "We've gone crazy." One activist who has worked on campaigns at all levels for over a decade noted that "it's hard to say that Biden should be our nominee."
It is important to mention that the debate occurred before either man was officially nominated at their respective conventions. The Democratic National Convention is scheduled for August 19 in Chicago. However, Biden himself was determined to be the one to face Trump, even directly stating at one point, "If Trump isn't running, I'm not sure I would be running."
No serious Democratic challenger has emerged to run against Biden, and at this stage of the campaign, he will need to decide whether to step aside if Democrats choose another nominee. If Biden does indeed withdraw, the Democratic Party's nomination will be determined on the ground.
