(IntegrityPress.org) – Amid the fallout from the first presidential election debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, the Democratic National Committee held a private group call during which several members reportedly expressed that they felt “gaslit” about the president’s performance that day, which was widely criticized from both sides of the political aisle.
DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison orchestrated the call alongside Julie Chavez, Biden’s campaign manager, and mostly ignored the obviously poor performance by the president during his first debate with Trump on Thursday, June 27, in Georgia.
The debate, hosted by CNN and moderated by anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bush, was the first of two scheduled encounters between the two opponents during their rematch for the White House. The next debate is scheduled for September 12 and will be hosted by ABC, but after Biden’s first performance, his own party members immediately began to change their tune, and many even started to suggest that Biden should drop out of the race so the party could unify behind someone else.
Joe Salazar, a DNC member from Colorado, told reporters that he was “hoping for more of a substantive conversation” and said members were instead told to “go out there and just be cheerleaders.” Salazar said the committee did not address any of the issues with Biden that “unfolded on American television for millions… to see.” He added that “a number of things” could’ve been said to address what happened, but members were “being gaslit” instead.
Salazar said several things could have been said to address the situation, but members “didn’t get that” from DNC leadership or the Biden campaign and were instead “being gaslit.” Multiple members reportedly felt similarly to Salazar.
On Friday, June 28, the day after his disastrous performance, Biden announced that would remain in the race despite the widespread concerns from his party. He acknowledged not being a “young man” anymore and how that impacted his performance, but maintained that despite not being as good at walking, talking, or debating as he used to be, he knows “how to tell the truth.” Hmmm.
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