Comment on Biden Allies Close Ranks After Debate Fiasco

Having had a few days to evaluate the political fallout from Joe Biden’s poor debate performance, I asked Political Wire members to weigh in on the best path for Democrats. The results were less evenly split than I had predicted: .memberful-global-teaser-content p:last-child{ -webkit-mask-image: linear-gradient(180deg, #000 0%, transparent); mask-image: linear-gradient(180deg, #000 0%, transparent); } Join now to continue reading. Members get exclusive analysis, bonus features and no advertising.

Axios: “Biden’s behavior stunned many in the White House in part because Biden’s closest aides — often led by Jill Biden’s top aide, Anthony Bernal, and deputy chief of staff Annie Tomasini — took steps early in his term to essentially rope off the president.” “Even the White House’s residence staff, which serves the first family in the mansion’s living quarters, has been kept at arm’s length.”

Steve Bannon told ABC News that he has “no regrets” about defying a congressional subpoena. Said Bannon: “I’m serving my country right now as a political prisoner.”

Washington Post: “For a full week, the president sequestered himself at Camp David with more than a dozen aides to prepare for Thursday’s presidential debate with former president Donald Trump. He rehearsed answers, met with policy aides and participated in mock debates, with his personal lawyer, Bob Bauer, playing the part of Trump.” “Every topic he was asked about Thursday, he had practiced answers for — including the final one about his age.” “So aides were bewildered by his performance.

A new CBS News poll finds 73% of voters — including many Democrats — don’t think Joe Biden has the cognitive health to serve as president. Nearly half of all Democrats don’t think he should be the party’s nominee.

“It’s not just Joe Biden’s age. It’s not just his debate debacle, which made the president look slow, old, foggy. It’s what’s next that truly worries even Biden’s biggest supporters,” Axios reports. “They fear that if three years as president took this much of a toll, Biden could look, act, sound and feel much worse at 86, after five more years.