REPORT: Biden Staff ‘Freaking Out’ Over Poor Debate Performance

Democratic presidential hopeful former US Vice President Joseph R. Biden speaks during the second Democratic primary debate of the 2020 presidential campaign season hosted by NBC News at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, Florida, June 27, 2019. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)

According to a New York Magazine correspondent who spoke with a source “close to the Biden campaign” towards the end of last night’s Democratic Party primary debate, Biden’s staff was not pleased with his poor performance.

“A source close to the Biden campaign tells me his staff is ‘freaking out’ about his poor performance tonight,” Olivia Nuzzi reported on Twitter. “The source said that internally, field staff says the campaign-organized debate watch parties in early voting states have been ‘awkward’ and that Biden isn’t playing well to those who attended.”

“According to Biden’s staff, he isn’t listening to his debate prep and he’s ‘set in his ways,’ the source close to the campaign tells me,” Nuzzi Tweeted later.

Kate Bedingfield, a Biden spokeswoman, disputed Nuzzi’s report on Twitter, simply replying “Nope,” to her original Tweet:

But Biden clearly struggled during his first bout with the other candidates of his party. At the outset, Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) hit Biden for his age and long tenure in politics, seemingly catching him off guard.

“I was six years old when a presidential candidate came to the California democratic convention and said it’s time to pass the torch to a new generation of Americans. That candidate was then-Sen. Joe Biden. Joe Biden was right when he said it was time to pass the torch to a new generation of Americans 32 years ago, he’s still right today,” Swalwell said.

Biden responded awkwardly.

“I will hold onto that torch,” he said before pivoting away from the attack.

Later in the debate, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) walloped Biden for his recent praise of the segregationist Senators with whom he worked in the past. His response was bungled, and he refused to back off his previous comments.

Since the debate, criticism of Biden has abounded. Far-left morning show host and RussiaGate conspiracy theorist Joe Scarborough blasted Biden Friday morning on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”

“Joe Biden had a bad night last night,” Scarborough said, later saying conceding the former vice president was not at the “top of his game” Thursday night.


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