The Democratic Party has been thrown into turmoil following President Joe Biden’s lacklustre performance in the first presidential debate of the 2024 election. Senior figures and strategists described a mood of panic, with some questioning whether the president should continue his campaign.
David Plouffe, a former campaign manager for Barack Obama, called the debate a “Defcon 1 moment”, noting that voter concerns about Biden’s age had been exacerbated. Vice-President Kamala Harris acknowledged a “slow start” but defended his overall performance, while former California first lady Maria Shriver called the evening “heartbreaking”.
Liberal commentator Nicholas Kristof urged Biden to withdraw from the race, suggesting potential replacements such as Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer, Ohio senator Sherrod Brown, or commerce secretary Gina Raimondo. Former Missouri senator Claire McCaskill said Biden had “one job” – to reassure Americans about his age – and “he failed”.
On MSNBC, anchors discussed the possibility of a contested convention, though California governor Gavin Newsom dismissed such talk as “unhelpful” and urged party unity. Biden’s campaign now faces the challenge of shifting the narrative, with surrogates like Harris and Newsom deployed to media appearances to emphasise Trump’s falsehoods and record.
