President Joe Biden addressed critics’ assessment Friday of his performance the night before during the first presidential debate.
The president took part in a campaign event in Raleigh, North Carolina, one day after facing off against former President Donald Trump in Atlanta during the first 2024 general election debate, which was produced by CNN.
The ages of both candidates — Biden is 81, and Trump is 78 — has been a concern for voters during the campaign, according to public opinion polling. Biden’s halting delivery and meandering responses early on in the debate alarmed members of his own party, according to reporting by The Associated Press.
President Biden attempted to address the concerns in Raleigh. “Folks, let me close with this, I know I’m not a young man. To state the obvious … I don’t walk as easy as I used to. I don’t speak as easy as I used to. I don’t debate as well as I used to,” he said. “I give you my word as a Biden, I would not be running again if I didn’t believe with all my heart and soul — I can do this job.”
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