Washington: US President Joe Biden today attributed his dismal debate performance against Republican opponent Donald Trump to jet lag from his recent international travels.
“It’s an explanation, not an excuse,” he declared at a fundraising event.
Biden claimed that he “wasn’t very smart” while “traveling around the world a couple of times… shortly before the debate.”
He said, “I didn’t listen to my staff.” “And then I almost fell asleep on stage.”
Over a 14-day period, Biden had flown to France, back to the United States, and Italy, among other places, resting for only a few days at his Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, vacation home. Several people who saw him during this time said that he was dragging.
Known for making mistakes, Joe Biden looked uncomfortable answering former US President Donald Trump’s accusations during the debate.
A blustery Trump unleashed a tirade against his successor, branding him an economic and global failure. Biden appeared to respond, but his tone was hesitant, speaking quickly in a soft, halting voice and faltering a few times.
In the inaugural debate between a sitting president and a former president, they both called the other the worst president in history.
Democrats have called for the 81-year-old to stop seeking a second term and to engage in “soul-searching” due to his clumsy, halting performance.
Because of Biden’s comments, questions about whether the 81-year-old is qualified for rigorous traveling, and a packed schedule.
While acknowledging that the debate was “a bad night,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also said that Biden “knows how to come back” from hardship.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken responded to the criticism by saying that people were appreciating Biden’s policies and that they were considering his actions since taking office rather than just one night.