Joe Biden admits he almost fell asleep during disastrous CNN debate which sparked calls for him to step aside

3 July 2024, 06:52

By Kieran Kelly

@kellyjourno

Joe Biden has told Democrat donors who nearly fell asleep during last week's disastrous CNN debate as he attempted to ease fears over his decision to stand in November's election.

The US President claimed jet lag got the better of him, pointing out that he had "travelled the world a couple times" before last week's debate.

Mr Biden was recently in Italy for the G7 meeting, which came after his appearance at D-Day commemorations in Normandy, France earlier in June.

“I didn’t have my best night, but the fact is that you know, I wasn’t very smart,” Mr Biden told a small group of donors.

“I decided to travel around the world a couple times, going through around 100 time zones...before...the debate,” he continued.

“Didn’t listen to my staff and came back and nearly fell asleep on stage,” he said. “That’s no excuse but it is an explanation.”

It represents a shift in the explanation given by the President's team post-debate, who said Mr Biden had been suffering with a cold.

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It is understood Mr Biden spent six days at Camp David preparing for the CNN debate on June 27.

His performance in the debate sparked concern about his cognitive ability to run for President in November.

Democrat donors and campaigners alike have expressed fears about Mr Biden's health and have indicated they would prefer if he stepped aside for another candidate.

But Mr Biden's close family, including his wife Jill and their son Hunter, are believed to be telling the President he is well enough to run.

It comes after Lloyd Doggett, a Democrat from Texas, became the first party representative to call on Mr Biden to step aside.

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During last Thursday's debate, Mr Biden repeatedly stumbled and froze in a fiery TV debate with the former US President Donald Trump.

It did not take long for Mr Biden to lose his train of thought, as he suddenly started speaking about Medicare as he made a point about taxing billionaires before appearing to freeze.

Another notable aspect of Mr Biden's debate performance was his voice, which was clearly hoarse and seemingly strained.