Biden blames jet lag for debate debacle: ‘I almost fell asleep on stage’

Joe Biden claims the reason for his poor performance at last week’s presidential debate was due to being tired after traveling “around the world a couple of times” in the days before the deabte.

The 81-year-old said he “almost fell asleep on stage” during his Thursday clash with Donald Trump.

It comes as many, including those from his own party, have further questioned the president’s cognitive ability and whether he would be up to the role for four more years, should he be re-elected in November.

In remarks shared by pool reporters who attended a private fundraiser in Virginia Tuesday evening, Biden said he «wasn’t very smart» for his trips before the debate.

«I decided to travel around the world a couple of times… shortly before the debate… I didn’t listen to my staff… and then I almost fell asleep on stage,” he said.

Biden’s schedule had indeed been filled with both national and international travel in the days and weeks leading up to the debate, during which he spoke in a raspy voice, paused for long periods of tim, and appeared to lose his train of thought.

On June 16, he hosted a glitzy fundraiser event in Los Angeles – some 2,000 miles from the debate venue in Atlanta – alongside stars including George Clooney, Julia Roberts and Barbra Streisand, where he raised some $30m for his campaign.

Several days earlier, he had been at his family home in Wilmington, Delaware, following the guilty verdict against his son, Hunter Biden.

The week before, he had joined other world leaders in France for the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings on June 6 — some 4,200 miles from Atlanta.

Biden’s comments, which he described as “not an excuse but an explanation” for his debate performance come as his campaign tries to play down