Debate watchers are stunned by Biden's disastrous performance: 'I never thought he would be this bad'

President Joe Biden faced off against former President Donald Trump in the first presidential debate of the 2024 election on CNN, and social media lit up with responses.

Biden and Trump traded blows, but the broad consensus was that Biden sounded weak and frail while Trump was aggressive and far more energetic. Many who were backing before the debate are panicking.

'I NEVER thought he would be this bad. Stunning. Truly.'

Journalists and celebrities who viewed the debate were shocked.

"Look. This debate was a total and complete disaster for Biden. He looked old. His answers trailed off repeatedly. He was hard to understand. He would stop in mid sentence and move on to something else. I NEVER thought he would be this bad. Stunning. Truly," said journalist Chris Cillizza.

"Two candidates walked into tonight’s debate talking about how the other was a threat to democracy. They finished by yelling at each other about their golf handicaps," said CNN reporter Edward-Isaac Devore.

"What sucks is, if you listen to Biden's WORDS, they're great. But there's not enough breath left in him for the words to reach your ears," replied liberal actor Michael Ian Black.

"This is difficult to watch," said former NFL star J.J. Watt.

'This is an absolute nightmare for Biden.'

Many of those critical of Donald Trump on the right were also shocked by Biden's bad performance.

"Biden looks and sounds terrible. He looks and sounds so old. So old," wrote former GOP Congressman Joe Walsh. "Trump is Trump, every word out of his mouth is bulls***. But Biden sounds old. And lost. And that’s going to matter more than anything. So far, this is an absolute nightmare for Biden."

"Sorry, I’m voting for President Biden but a disaster so far," responded GOP strategist Mike Murphy. "I’m going to go home tonight, kiss my kid and wife goodnight, pour a stiff drink, watch the Last Hurrah and have a quiet cry."

"Hearing from countless viewers of all political stripes and the consensus is Biden needs to be replaced. It’s worse than I believe most people imagined," responded conservative Alyssa Farah Griffin.

"Forget the election, this is heading into 25th amendment territory," said Sarah Isgur.

"In boxing, if you’re punch drunk, the referee calls a TKO (technical knockout). It would be a blessing if CNN would call the fight now and put Biden out of his misery," said Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky.

Meanwhile, the official account for the Democratic Party proclaimed Biden the winner of the debate.

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