Democratic lawmakers are openly urging Biden to skip out on next debate

Democrats are now openly urging President Joe Biden to skip the next debate set to take place in September.

Biden’s performance on Thursday night was quickly slammed as disastrous as he appeared frail, at times losing his train of thought and making several gaffes.

Democrats began to share their concerns while the debate was still live and questioned whether Biden should remain on the ballot. Several said anonymously that he should step aside.

Some lawmakers insisted the president was simply overprepared after spending a week at Camp David in rural Maryland taking part in several 90-minute mock debates. Democratic elected officials urged Biden to skip the next debate, at least if the format remains the same.

Ohio Democratic Representative Joyce Beatty told Politico, “If it’s the same debate questions, and it’s the same process, I probably wouldn’t do it. I’m not his advisor, but I probably wouldn’t advise him to do it.”

“We didn’t even need this debate,” California Democrat Sydney Kamlager-Dove said. “Quite frankly, we know exactly who Trump is. And we know exactly who Joe Biden is. You have a debate so that you can learn about a candidate. There’s nothing else to know.”

Louisiana Representative Troy Carter told the outlet that “if there’s going to be a second debate, the terms and the rules of engagement have to be changed.”

Biden officials have said the president has no plans to drop out and that he plans on taking part in the debate set to be hosted by ABC News in the fall.

The president came out swinging on Friday even as he acknowledged his poor debate performance. A newly energized Biden took to the stage in Raleigh, North Carolina on Friday, saying, “Folks, I don’t walk as easy as I used to. I don’t speak as