Spin Cycle: Democrats Say There’s No Debate; Incapacity Is Still Better Than Trump

For those who don’t spend their Sunday mornings glued to the television — and their Sunday afternoons attempting to dig through a week’s worth of network and cable news media spin — The Daily Wire has compiled a short summary of what you may have missed.

From the moment he took the stage at Thursday night’s debate, it was clear that President Joe Biden was not going to live up to his party’s — and the media’s — repeated promises that he was “sharp and commanding” and showed no signs of “mental feebleness.”

Instead, a visibly confused Biden stood onstage, slack-jawed, as former President Donald Trump delivered clear responses. When Biden did speak, his voice was weak and his answers rambling. Within minutes of the debate’s start, the conversation on social media was not about whose answers painted a better picture for the American people moving forward, but about how terrible Biden looked — particularly in contrast to Trump.

And while the immediate reaction to the debate — from Democrats — was panic, which quickly gave way to calls for Biden to step aside and make way for either Vice President Kamala Harris or someone else of the party’s choosing.

Former President Barack Obama put a different spin on the disastrous debate performance, however, and by Sunday morning, it was clear that the rest of his party — with a few exceptions — was falling in line.

“Bad debate nights happen. Trust me, I know. But this election is still a choice between someone who has fought for ordinary folks his entire life and someone who only cares about himself. Between someone who tells the truth; who knows right from wrong and will give it to the American people straight — and someone who lies through his teeth for his own benefit. Last night didn’t change that, and it’s why so much is at stake in November,” Obama posted via X.

Bad debate nights happen. Trust me, I know. But this election is still a choice between someone who has fought for ordinary folks his entire life and someone who only cares about himself. Between someone who tells the truth; who knows right from wrong and will give it to the…

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) June 28, 2024

Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) made an appearance on ABC’s “This Week,” where his assessment of the situation closely mirrored Obama’s.

“It was a weak debate performance by President Biden,” Coons conceded before adding, “But I think, side by side, Donald Trump had a horrifying debate performance where, yes, he spoke plainly, but what he said was lie after lie after lie.”

“It was a weak debate performance by Pres. Biden…But I think, side by side, Donald Trump had a horrifying debate performance where, yes, he spoke plainly, but what he said was lie after lie after lie,” Democratic Sen. Chris Coons tells @JonKarl. https://t.co/UhiLWzMMWY pic.twitter.com/X4hHKpiyqs

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) June 30, 2024

Coons insisted that Biden was prepared to “get back up and fight harder” after the debate – and took it a step further, saying that Biden was “the only Democrat who can beat Donald Trump.”

Sen. Chris Coons, a top ally to Joe Biden and the national co-chair of his reelection campaign, insists the president is “the only Democrat who can beat Donald Trump” despite his debate performance. https://t.co/HbJRECKyYP pic.twitter.com/5jU8O3lMqp

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) June 30, 2024

Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) took a similar tone on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” suggesting to anchor Margaret Brennan that what mattered was not the debate but the last several years of Biden’s presidency.

Himes, when asked how America’s foreign adversaries might be reacting to Biden’s debate performance, said that Biden had established a “four year record” on the global stage, “setting a tone that the rest of the world says, ‘Wow, America is back to the decent leader that we used to believe that it was prior to the Trump administration.'”

.@margbrennan asks House Intel ranking Democrat Rep. @jahimes how America’s foreign adversaries are viewing President Biden’s debate performance. Himes says Biden has a “four-year record…of setting a tone that the rest of the world says ‘Wow, America is back to the decent… pic.twitter.com/Np6hEQjaCN

— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) June 30, 2024

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) response was to immediately deflect. Speaking with anchor — and debate moderator — Dana Bash on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Pelosi asked, “Well, what do they think about the other guy? Do they think that he has the integrity to be president after that performance?”

.@SpeakerPelosi: “Well, what do they think about the other guy? Do they think that he has the integrity to be president after that performance?” pic.twitter.com/sGcHrHge8G

— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) June 30, 2024

Pelosi also attempted to throw out concerns about Biden’s mental acuity by claiming, “There are health care professionals who think that Trump has dementia. If we’re just talking about mental acuity, let’s be fair about it.”

.@SpeakerPelosi rips Donald Trump after presidential debate: “There are health care professionals who think that Trump has dementia,” she said. “If we’re just talking about mental acuity, let’s be fair about it.” pic.twitter.com/Yu5RXVKz2W

— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) June 30, 2024

Pelosi doubled down when she appeared later on MSNBC’s “Inside with Jen Psaki,” where she spoke with the former White House Press Secretary about the debate as well.

“As you may recall, I tore up his speech at the State of the Union because it was a total manifesto of lies,” she claimed. “And that’s what we saw the other night.”

.@speakerpelosi: “As you may recall, I tore up his speech at the State of the Union because it was a total manifesto of lies… and that’s what we saw the other night…” pic.twitter.com/oHlLIALUAs

— Inside with Jen Psaki (@InsideWithPsaki) June 30, 2024

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) told “Fox News Sunday” anchor Shannon Bream that he did not believe it was time for Biden to stand down, citing his own difficulties during the 2022 election.

WATCH: @SenFettermanPA on calls for Biden to step aside after his debate performance. pic.twitter.com/YaWu9YFnqo

— Fox News Sunday (@FoxNewsSunday) June 30, 2024