Biden tells campaign supporters: “It wasn’t my best debate”

[Cheonji Daily News Washington=Reporter Eloise Lee], June 30 —

President Joe Biden made appearences over the weekend at campaign fundraisers in New York and New Jersey — primarily for damage control, it seems. 

The first presidential debate of the year against Donald Trump on Thursday added to Biden’s image as an elderly man unfit for another term in the White House, according to Republican messaging, while Donald Trump appeared confident and unchallenged.

Biden’s unimpressive performance even prompted comments from mainstream media such as CNN and the New York Times, which recommended he quit the election.

“It wasn’t my best debate ever as Barack pointed out,” Biden said at a campaign reception on Saturday, naming former president Barack Obama. 

“I understand the concern after the debate," he said. "I get it. I didn't have a great night, but I’m going to be fighting harder.”

Biden then brought up research indicating that voters had a different reaction to the debate than the media pundits.

“Research during the debate shows us converting more undecided voters than Trump did, in large part because of his conduct on January 6,” said Biden, referring to the day when extreme supporters of Trump broke into the Capitol building in protest against the results of the last election that Biden won four years ago. 

Biden acknowledged a New York Times editorial saying he should drop out of the race, but he said the newspaper also noted that Trump lied throughout the debate. 

“They also point out he lied 28 times in a matter of 90 minutes,” he said. “The big takeaway were his lies. People remembered how bad things were during his presidency, how much they disliked him,” Biden added.

“I didn’t have a great night but neither did he," he said of Trump. 

ABC News will host the second debate between President Biden and Donald Trump on Tuesday, September 10.