'Painful': Even CNN figures were critical of Biden's debate perfomance as he faced Trump for the 1st presidential debate of 2024

President Joe Biden, the presumptive 2024 Democratic presidential nominee, and former President Donald Trump, the presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee, faced off in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday night for their first debate of the 2024 cycle.

Biden, who is currently 81 years old, is already the oldest president in American history and would be 86 by the end of a second term if he were to win re-election and serve another four years. And his debate performance came under signficiant scrutiny.

'How long before Dems ditch Biden?'

During post-debate analysis on CNN, even leftist Van Jones described it as "painful" and noted that the president "didn't do well at all."

CNN's Anderson Cooper noted that there had been "painful moments." He made the comment before the channel rolled a clip of Biden apparently struggling to communicate.

"That was a painful moment to watch," CNN's Erin Burnett said in response to the clip.

"How long before Dems ditch Biden?" Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah tweeted. "All Biden’s horses And all Biden’s men Can’t put Biden together again He's cooked," Lee wrote in another post. The senator even suggested Biden should be removed from office, tweeting, "We’ve definitely entered 25th Amendment territory."

"If you think Democrats in Washington and across the country aren’t talking about the 25th amendment right now, you’re crazy. It’s not a question of whether he should be on the ballot. That ship has sailed. It’s a question of whether he can serve as President right now," GOP Sen. Rick Scott of Florida wrote.

"Oh my goodness. I think the main thing anyone was wanting to see was how Biden in June of 2024 is doing mentally and the answer is very clearly 'not well,'" Blaze News managing editor Leon Wolf tweeted.

During the debate, Dana Bash asked Trump whether he would "block abortion medication."

"I will not block it," Trump said.

'President Trump, will you take any action as president to slow the climate crisis?'

At one point, after Biden finished delivering some remarks, Trump said that he didn't know what Biden had said at the end of a sentence, adding that he didn't even think Biden knew what he had said.

When Jake Tapper asked Trump what he would say to voters who think he violated his oath to uphold the Constitution on January 6, 2021, Trump responded that he does not think many people believe that.

Trump claimed that on January 6, the U.S. "had a great border," was "energy-independent," "had the lowest taxes ever," "the lowest regulations ever," and was "respected all over the world."

"What happened to the United States' reputation under this man's leadership is horrible," Trump declared, referring to Biden.

When asked whether he thinks those who vote for Trump will be voting against U.S. democracy, Biden said "the more they know about what he's done, yes."

Bash asked a question that assumed as fact there is a "climate crisis."

"President Trump, will you take any action as president to slow the climate crisis?" she asked.

"I want absolutely immaculate clean water. And I want absolutely clean air," Trump said.

"The only existential threat to humanity is climate change," Biden asserted.

Trump declared that Biden will "drive us into World War III."

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