'Stay home': Biden mocked after White House official says President had 'cold' during first presidential debate with Trump

ATLANTA, GEORGIA: Sources close to President Joe Biden have claimed that he "has a cold," which they suggest may have affected his performance at the presidential debate on Thursday, June 27.

Despite these claims, the debate has sparked widespread mockery and criticism, particularly from his opponent, Donald Trump, and voters on the other side of the aisle.

Biden 'has a cold' claim sparks subsequent trolling

During the debate, Biden had several moments where he appeared to struggle with his words, which was noticeable to viewers. His raspy voice was evident when he responded to questions from CNN host Jake Tapper.

NBC reporter Kelly O’Donnell cited two sources familiar with the situation, confirming that "President Biden has a cold."

This was echoed by a White House official who told The Hill, “He has a cold, started slow but obviously had started to hit his stride."

Despite the explanation from Biden's camp, the claim that he had a cold led to a wave of mockery on social media.

"Lmao I knew they would have some kind of excuse!" one posted on X.

"I hate when a cold makes me senile," another quipped.

"Yes, a deathly cold. Probably needs a note from his wife to stay home and get well until February 2025," a comment read.

"I don’t know about having a cold but he’s one sleep away from being put on ice," someone else joked.

"Hilarious….anything to cover up a poor performance," another chimed in.

Biden's performance against Trump

From the start of the historic debate between Biden and Trump, viewers quickly noticed Biden's scratchy voice and his frequent throat-clearing. Biden's sometimes halting delivery was evident as he tried to confront Trump.

Trump's counterattacks included false claims about the economy, illegal immigration, and his involvement in the January 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection.

Biden's uneven performance, particularly at the beginning of the debate, highlighted concerns about his age and ability to serve another term as president. This performance led to renewed calls for Biden to consider stepping aside as the Democratic nominee, driven by fears of Trump returning to the White House.

The debate represented a high-stakes moment for Biden, who needed to reassure voters about his age and mental fitness for another four years in office. If re-elected, Biden would be 86 at the end of a second term, while Trump would be 82.

During the debate, Biden lost his train of thought early on, struggling to find the word "Medicare" and eventually saying, “Making sure that we’re able to make every single solitary person eligible for what I’ve been able to do with, the eh, COVID. Excuse me, with dealing with everything we have to do with… Look…Medicare.”

Trump seized the opportunity to criticize, saying, "he did beat Medicare. He beat it to death, and he’s destroying Medicare."

Biden also appeared to misspeak at the end of an answer about immigration, prompting Trump to jab, “I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence. I don’t think he knows what he said either.”

Despite these missteps, Biden seemed to find his stride later in the debate. He spoke about the January 6 riots at the US Capitol, discussed how to keep Social Security solvent, and outlined his plans to ensure the wealthy pay their fair share in taxes.

Trump countered by accusing Biden of nearly “wiping out” Social Security due to the "millions" of migrants at the southern border, adding, "What’s happened to our country is not to be believed."

The debate then moved to the national debt, which has soared to record heights over the past eight years. Trump championed the tax cuts he implemented during his presidency, claiming they “spurred the greatest economy that we’ve seen” and argued that cutting taxes led to increased revenue and substantial investment by companies back into the country.

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