Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) openly critiqued President Joe Biden’s recent debate performance, describing it as “not great.” However, Sanders expressed confidence that Biden can still defeat former President Donald Trump in the upcoming election.
Speaking in Wisconsin, Sanders acknowledged Biden’s weaknesses as a debater. “He’s not a great debater, he’s not necessarily a great speaker. People are just gonna have to say: Okay, you know what? Yeah, he’s old. Yeah, he’s not as articulate as he should be. But you’re voting for somebody whose policies will impact your life,” Sanders remarked.
Despite Biden’s subpar performance, Sanders emphasized that the focus should remain on Biden’s policies and their potential impact on Americans. When asked about the New York Times editorial board’s suggestion that Biden should withdraw from the race, Sanders underscored the need for Biden to concentrate on how he would improve the lives of working people.
“Biden is the candidate. I suspect he will be the candidate. I’ll do my best to get him elected,” Sanders stated.
Sanders, known for his progressive stance, claimed that Trump “lied and lied and lied” during the debate, criticizing Biden for not effectively countering Trump’s falsehoods. “He was not focused,” Sanders said of Biden. “He did not defend a very strong record. He should have been loud and clear in telling the American people that he was the first president in American history ever to walk on a picket line.”
The debate performance has intensified discussions within the Democratic Party about Biden’s viability as a candidate. Michael LaRosa, former spokesman for First Lady Jill Biden, noted that any serious conversation about Biden stepping down would need to originate from Congressional leaders such as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Democrat Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY).
LaRosa explained, “Something like that, and I think it’s important for your audience to know, like, in both parties, something like that would probably have to come from, like, the leadership in Congress.”
As the election season progresses, Biden’s campaign will need to address these concerns and reinforce his strengths to ensure he can maintain voter confidence and effectively challenge Trump in November.