Hours after the first debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, both historians and seasoned experts on debates were in near-unanimous agreement when they spoke to Newsmax: it was a terrible night for Biden and he may very well have to leave the Democratic ticket.
"Biden was clearly so wound up in preparation for the debate and clearly had so much material to master that he simply couldn't put sentences together," concluded historian Irwin Gellman, author of three critically-acclaimed volumes on the life of Richard Nixon, "Have we sunk this low when the 45th and 46th presidents act like children? But at least Trump was coherent in his babbling."
Gellman added that "Democrats are probably scared to death right now" and that "if I were a Democratic congressman seeking re-election, I would not want Biden in my district."
Bill Ballenger, editor of the influential Ballenger Report on Michigan politics, was even more blunt: "Trump chewed the President up and spit him out in little pieces."
"Biden bombed," Arizona State University history professor Donald Critchlow, author of three books on the Republican Party, told Newsmax. "Trump might not have gained new supporters but Biden lost supporters. Democrats are in trouble. Will they stick with Biden as their nominee? Who can they turn to in this late hour?
"Stay tuned for the answers, but Democrats should be damned worried at this point about their down-ticket candidates."
Regarding the performances and substance of the two candidates, Ken Khachigian, White House speechwriter for two presidents and author of forthcoming memoir — due out next month: "Behind Closed Doors – In the Room with Reagan and Nixon," characterized the debate as "a big yawner … because it was predictable. However, Biden lost his train of thought a couple of times — embarrassingly enough to be used in commercials against him. One major observation of Biden's weakness … you can't 'out-Trump Trump.' i.e., Biden can't win by making outraging claims or charges — all of which are not new.
"Trump has been immune to those hits up to now … January 6th, 'the very fine people' in Charlottesville, or 'he's a felon' who had 'sex with a porn star.' Those and the abortion hits haven't worked 'til now and aren't working tonight. Trump is also rambling, but he looks more in charge. That's in Trump's favor."
Khachigian, who helped Reagan prepare for debates in 1980 and 1984, concluded that "All in all, I don't understand why Biden would agree to go on stage with Trump. That's why Nixon was smart not to debate McGovern in '72 or Humphrey in 1968."
Chapman University professor Luke Nichter, author of "1968: The Year That Broke Politics," observed that "This debate was held unusually early, before either party has held its convention. Trump underperformed on substance, but was effective in reminding Americans of the shortcomings of the Biden administration. Biden was stronger on substance, but his weak delivery is likely to keep the drip, drip, drip of concerns coming about his ability to be president for four more years all the way to the convention in Chicago."
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
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