Biden’s post-debate crisis is now evolving into a genuine threat to his reelection bid

Washington CNN —

President Joe Biden needs to do far more to quell Democratic panic over his terrible performance at his debate showdown with former President Donald Trump, and fast.

After Texas Rep. Lloyd Doggett on Tuesday became the first Democratic lawmaker to break ranks and demand Biden step aside, top party figures are now asking for more openness and details on the president’s health and mental state as the anxiety about his reelection campaign evolves into an increasingly genuine threat to his grip on the Democratic nomination.

Every effort the president and his White House and campaign teams make to fix the problem end up exacerbating it. Biden, for instance, on Tuesday evening joked to donors that he “almost fell asleep onstage” with Trump after two grueling trips to Europe last month. It was an odd way to parry claims that he is no longer fit for the demanding duties of his office as he asks for a second term at age 81.

The fallout from the debate has created another extraordinary twist in a stunning campaign featuring two presidents, one who is a convicted felon, and the other who is already the oldest to hold the job in history. The debate crystalized many fears of Democrats about Biden’s prospects and played into months of claims by Trump, 78, that his rival is weak and mentally diminished.

President Joe Biden speaks during a campaign event in Raleigh, North Carolina, on June 28, 2024.

Related article As Biden digs in, some top Democrats want him out of the race this week

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Tuesday endured a briefing that was almost as painful to watch as the debate itself. She said that while Biden had a cold at the debate, he hadn’t taken medication but was now