Unanimity in the criticism of the president after the debate and in the analysis that he is not in a position to compete against the more restrained Trump before the cameras
“I watched the Biden-Trump debate alone in a hotel room in Lisbon and it made me cry. I can’t remember a more heartbreaking moment. in the history of presidential campaigns in my lifetime.” That phrase from Thomas L. Friedman, personal friend of the president and perhaps the most representative columnist of The New York Timesthe Bible The most progressive US newspaper, which best sums up the feeling of shock and dismay in the media, said: “Biden, a good man and a good president, should not seek re-election,” he said at the beginning of his implacable article.
The newspaper’s grid was devastating. “Biden can’t go on like this”titled Frank Bruni. “President, it’s time to retire”, urged another communications priest, Nicholas Kristof. “It will be a heartbreaking choicebut Mr. President, The way to serve your country in 2024 is to announce your retirement and asking the delegates to replace him, because that is the safest path for our nation.” Of the panel of 12 other columnists consulted by the Opinion section, none gave Biden as the winner and only two saw a ‘tie’, but not because they were equal but because of the terrible performance of both.
The progressive and more left-wing press has been relentless against Trump over the past decade, in the press, on radio and on television. They believe that the Republican is a danger, a threat, that he is a “compulsive liar”, a pathological liar, and that four more years of him in the White House could be the final blow to a wounded democracy. It is no secret that they are aligning themselves with the Democrats in this election. And despite, or precisely because of that, the torrent of articles, columns, podcasts and videos in the last 24 hours is inexhaustible. If Biden continues, they estimate, the elections already have a winner.
Ezra Klein, a house analyst and author of a relevant podcast, has been pointing out since February that Biden’s age would be a problem and arguing that a replacement at the party convention in August by one of the youngest and most powerful Democrats would be the best strategy.
But the Democrats crucified him. Last night, hotly, his analysis in a talk with Ross Douthat, the newspaper’s conservative reference, was clear: Biden is not fit to govern. And in the Trump debate”He seemed much more presidential than in 2020 (…) It was fresh. He said a lot of things that were bullshit, but he had much more control. He was able to keep quiet, something that did not happen in 2020. And he was pretty clear in most of his answers.”
The sentiment is practically the same in all non-conservative media. Those aligned with the Republican party, with Trump or enemies of the left were exultant. But on the other side the criticism was almost unanimous, with barely a voice that attempted to qualify, mitigate, the president’s actions and diminished abilities. “Honor demands that Joe Biden step aside. Democrats need an effective candidate, he is not one“, admits after the fall of the horse Matt Yglesias, one of the great references of digital progressivism, recognizing that he had underestimated the consequences of Biden’s age and state of health.
Changing leaders in the middle of the competition is very risky, no one minimizes it, but the overwhelming majority of commentators believe that there is no alternative. “No matter what happens, nothing would be as bad as what happened to Biden last night in Atlanta. Denial is not a strategy. This It is not time to doubt, wringing hands, wetting the bed or wasting time. The problem of the Democrats has never been more evident,” says Mark Leibovich in a reflection in The Atlantica progressive magazine with more than a million subscribers. “Biden must step aside, for his own dignity, for the good of his party, for the future of the country. This debate debacle has been the low point and it has to be a turning point,” concludes the journalist.
The cover of this media is unanimous. “Leaving is Biden’s most patriotic option. If you think Trump is a unique threat, the choice is clear,” he headlined Jerusalem Demsas. “Someone has to take the keys away from Biden. The alternative is too horrible to contemplate,” warns Franklin Foer. “Biden’s loved ones owe him [decir] the truth,” agrees Peter Wehner. “Trump should never have had this platform,” lamented David Frum, an influential analyst who wrote speeches for George W. Bush two decades ago.
A more left-leaning publication, such as The Nationoffered no respite. “Trump was horrible, but Biden worse. Trump’s lies and unhinged rantings went unchallenged because Biden was incoherent and out of touch,” Jeet Heer complains. And a conduit for the Washington bubble, Politicalhad no mercy. To follow the debate between the two older candidates sent a reporter to a nursing home in poor health. And its headline drew blood from the Democratic ranks: “‘It hurts’: How Biden’s devastating debate played out at an assisted living facility.”
From the west coast, consensus too. “A mute octogenarian debates a pathological liar. Nobody won, but Biden clearly lost,” he says in his column Los Angeles Times Doyle McManus. “Biden falters, Trump lies and we all lose,” agrees his colleague Mark Z. Barabak.
Even Bloomberg commentators, generally cautious and prudent, see it without grey areas. Jessica Karl, author of a newsletter For the opinion section that reaches every corner of the markets, he compiled the opinions of his colleagues, with reduced headlines, but a clear vision. “The failure of the Biden debate may mean that It’s time to step aside“The president bet that he could stand shoulder to shoulder with Trump and prove himself more vital and sharper. And he lost,” in the words of Timothy L. O’Brien, author of a critical book on the former Republican president.
“Gavin Newsom is ready for Biden’s emergency. The California governor has the fundraising skills, messaging skills and campaign infrastructure to step up,” Erica D. Smith says, looking ahead.
In Financial TimesEdward Luce, who was very harsh during the debate broadcast, writes that although he is known for being stubborn and only seems to listen to his family and a very small circle of advisors, all of whom are over 60 years old, “It’s not too late for Joe Biden to go” and that although the Democrats already knew the risks of replacing their candidate “the advantages are suddenly clearer.”
But perhaps the most forceful phrase on the subject is not signed by a columnist or correspondent, but one of the anonymous commenters of the British newspaper, that in the news about the debate, and given the feeling of pessimism regarding the possible decline of the American Empireditched sardonically: “The United States is not like the Roman Empire in its later days. The Roman Empire had good roads”.
