Biden’s changing explanations for poor debate performance: attributions including illness, excessive preparation, feeling unwell, and jet lag

President Joe Biden has provided various justifications for his lackluster performance in the recent presidential debate, but Democrats remain worried about a potential return of Donald Trump to the White House. Biden’s team describes these reasons as explanations rather than excuses, yet concerns about his preparedness persist among his party members.

Initially attributing Biden’s raspy voice and glassy eyes during the debate to a cold, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre later acknowledged that jet lag might have been a contributing factor. Some aides suggested that Biden had overprepared during his stay at Camp David, spending six days cramming in facts and working late into the night.

Additionally, Biden’s wife, Jill, mentioned that the president did not feel great during the debate, indicating possible exhaustion or other issues. Biden himself mentioned jet lag from his recent travels to France, California, and Italy, followed by downtime in Delaware and at Camp David before the debate. He joked about traveling through multiple time zones and nearly falling asleep on stage.

Jean-Pierre emphasized that Biden’s extensive travel schedule and responsibilities as president likely played a role in his debate performance. Despite the attempts to explain Biden’s showing, questions remain about his ability to rebound from such episodes. The president’s limited damage control efforts immediately after the debate were due to ongoing travel to various states, including North Carolina, New York, and New Jersey, before his return to Camp David.

The extensive communications equipment on Air Force One allows presidents to stay informed even while traveling, yet Biden’s explanations and the lack of swift damage control have left some Democrats uneasy about his ability to effectively counter potential criticism from political opponents.