Former President Donald Trump has responded to a growing chorus of calls on the Democrat left for President Joe Biden to drop out of the race following his weak, dismal debate performance on Thursday. Trump said he believes President Biden “will be the nominee” for the Democratic Party, despite the increasingly panicked calls from Democrats and left-wing media, Fox News reported.
“It was a great honor to be on stage representing the people of our country,” Trump told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview Friday morning. The Trump campaign declared that its candidate won shortly after the showdown ended, saying the former president and presumptive Republican nominee had “delivered the greatest debate performance and victory in history to the largest voter audience in history, making clear exactly how he will improve the lives of every American.”
“Joe Biden on the other hand showed exactly why he deserves to be fired,” Trump campaign co-chairs Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles said in a statement Thursday night. “Despite taking a week-long vacation at Camp David to prepare for the debate, Biden was unable to defend his disastrous record on the economy and the border.” They added: “President Trump is spot-on when he says that if Joe Biden is too incompetent to stand trial, then Biden is too incompetent to be President.”
The sentiment about Biden’s performance was not only echoed by his opponents but also by traditional allies. Many Democratic strategists, including several former Biden administration officials such as White House press secretary Jen Psaki and White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield, have expressed concern about the future of the president’s re-election campaign.
During parts of Thursday night’s debate, Biden struggled, delivering rambling answers with a raspy voice. He also lost his train of thought multiple times, raising concerns among his closest political allies and those in the media. Sources told Fox News that some Democrats were even considering the possibility of replacing Biden as the nominee at the Democratic nominating convention in August.
During his interview with Fox, Trump was asked specifically if he thought Biden would become his party’s nominee. “Yes, I think he will be the nominee,” Trump said. When pressed further on concerns among Democrats about Biden’s lackluster showing and talk that he could be replaced, Trump told Fox News Digital that he does not think Biden will be removed. “No, I don’t think so,” Trump said, touting his own debate performance. “They wouldn’t have done any better. No one else would have been better.”
After the historic debate between Biden and Trump, renowned pollster Frank Luntz reported a significant shift in voter sentiment among undecided swing-state residents. The debate, which was aired on CNN, marked the first time a sitting president and his predecessor squared off, offering a unique spectacle that captivated the nation.
According to Luntz, the majority of his focus group, which consisted of undecided voters from critical swing states, overwhelmingly leaned toward Trump after the debate. “In my entire professional career, I’ve done 32 debates. Never has someone performed [like Biden last night]. And I was very upset with Donald Trump in 2020. I have never seen a performance like I saw last night,” said Luntz.
“We’ve never had that before. We are truly in uncharted territory. And what blew me away the most was that Joe Biden voters in 2020 don’t want him on the ticket in 2024. What is the reaction you had [from] 14 swing voters from these states? All undecided, all voting Republican and Democrat back and forth over the last 10 years. And boy, did they swing,” Luntz added.
One participant from the focus group remarked, “He does not have the leadership qualities to survive for the next four years. I don’t even know how he’s going to survive the next few months. They need a candidate that could beat Trump.” Another member reflected on their past support for Biden, stating, “I just think if the Democrats want to have a chance at putting someone in the White House, they need to put someone else up.”
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