Joe Biden: Acknowledging Jet Lag as Factor Behind Lackluster Presidential Debate Performance

During a recent campaign event in McLean, Virginia, U.S. President Joe Biden admitted that his performance during the presidential debate against former President Donald Trump last Thursday was not up to par. He attributed his lackluster debate showing to jet lag after two overseas trips earlier in June.

Biden traveled to France and Italy in two separate trips within two weeks last month. He flew overnight from the Group of Seven summit in Bari, Italy, to attend a fundraiser with former President Barack Obama in Los Angeles on June 15 before returning to Washington the next day. Following this, he spent six days at Camp David preparing for the June 27 debate. White House officials initially attributed Biden’s halting performance during the debate to a cold, but Biden did not mention being sick during the recent fundraiser.

Despite calls from one House of Representatives fellow Democrat to withdraw from the race, Biden’s support among Democrats remains steady in a new Reuters/Ipsos poll. The poll, which closed on Tuesday, showed that one in three Democrats think Biden should end his reelection bid following the debate. However, no prominent elected Democrat does any better than Biden in a hypothetical matchup against Trump. Both Trump and Biden maintain the support of 40% of registered voters, indicating that Biden has not lost ground since the debate. Election Day is scheduled for Nov