Politico: Dems freak out over Biden’s debate performance: ‘Biden is toast’

 This from CNN: Democrats are despairing over President Joe Biden’s debate performance Thursday night, a showing so halting some even privately raised questions about whether he should remain the party’s nominee.

Biden appeared onstage with a soft, halting voice and an open-mouthed, staring look. He struggled to finish thoughts at points, and ceded ground on issues like abortion where Democrats have an edge.

It took just minutes for Democrats to realize how bad it was becoming.

“Biden looks and sounds terrible. He’s incoherent,” one Democrat who spent time working in the Biden administration said. 

“Horrific,” said another Democratic operative.

And one Democrat who’s worked on campaigns up and down the ballot said simply: “We are.....

The looming question as the debate came to a close was almost existential: Should someone else top the Democratic ticket?

“It’s hard to argue that Biden should be our nominee,” said an operative who’s worked on campaigns at all levels for over a decade

-Polotico: President Joe Biden opened the debate with a raspy voice and disjointed, rambling answers, reigniting Democratic concerns about his age and ability to take on former President Donald Trump.

Many of the president’s answers were hard to follow. At one point, seemingly losing his train of thought, Biden said “we finally beat Medicare,” misspeaking about his own policy on earned benefits.

In text messages with POLITICO, Democrats expressed confusion and concern as they watched the first minutes of the event. One former Biden White House and campaign aide called it “terrible,” adding that they have had to ask themselves over and over “What did he just say? This is crazy.”

Another veteran Democratic operative texted, “Biden seems to have needed a few minutes to warm up. I wonder if the lack of an audience was the right decision. And poor guy needs a tea. Maybe a whiskey.”

Jay Surdukowski, an attorney and Democratic activist from New Hampshire who co-chaired Martin O’Malley’s 2016 presidential campaign in the state, said, “Biden is toast — calling it now.”

Biden flubs early lines at debate

Biden’s rambling answers provided Trump multiple opportunities to jump in with retorts. At one point, after an answer ostensibly on immigration, Trump said, “I don’t know what he said at the end there. I don’t think he knows what he said.”

The president’s performance was widely panned online and will likely reinforce the impression that he’s lost a step. The 81-year-old president’s age has long been a liability, with poll after poll showing even many Democrats concerned about his age.

Biden aides and allies had hoped the on-stage split screen between the two men would help to focus voters’ attention on the race. But during the debate, many Democrats have begun to doubt that strategy would actually work out in Biden’s favor.

A person familiar with Biden’s health claimed that his performance is due to a cold. But the president’s team hadn’t mentioned that to reporters until Biden began to answer questions in the debate.

One prominent operative texted, “Time for an open convention.”