'I really don't know what he said': Trump targets Joe Biden's mental acuity as POTUS fumbles and mumbles during debate

ATLANTA, GEORGIA: President Joe Biden's performance on June 27, Thursday night's debate left a lot to be desired. The president seemed to have difficulty in articulating his thoughts on various policy issues.

His opponent Donald Trump was quick to seize this as an opportunity to launch a direct attack as he claimed "I really don't know what he said at the end of that sentence" in response to Biden's bumbling response on Medicare.

The debate, which raised concerns among Democrats about Biden's fitness for office at 81 years of age, saw his first mistake just 12 minutes in.

The Biden campaign has been trying to dispel voter concerns about his age and suitability for a second term but judging by Trump's reaction and others online, the president has a lot of introspect over.

Trump targets Biden for fumbling response on border crisis

Early on in the debate, Biden was showing signs of faltering and increasingly fumbling while answering questions. 

He was asked why voters should trust him to solve the immigrant crisis. 

He responded saying, “I’ve changed [immigration law] in a way that now you’re in a situation where they’re 40% fewer people coming across the border illegally, especially when [Trump] left office. And I’m going to continue to move until we get the total ban on the total initiative relative to what we can do more border patrol and more asylum officers."

In response, Trump said: "I really don't know what he said at the end of that sentence. I don't think he knows what he said either." 

Joe Biden struggled with recalling term Medicare

It did not help matters that Biden was apparently 'suffering from a cold'.

A senior official reported that the president was examined by a physician at Camp David, who verified the cold. They also confirmed that the president tested negative for COVID, as reported by CBS News.

Furthermore, the president experienced a lapse in concentration and had difficulty recalling the term Medicare while responding to a question regarding the tax rate for affluent Americans.

"We have 1,000 trillionaires in America — I mean billionaires in America. And what's happening? They're in a situation where they, in fact, pay 8.2% taxes, if they just paid 24%, 25% — either one of those numbers — we'd raise $500 million dollars — billion dollars, I should say — in a 10-year period," he said.

He then listed several priorities, including paying for childcare, health care, and "making sure that we're able to make every single solitary person eligible for what I've been able to do with the COVID, excuse me, with, dealing with everything we have to do with, uh."

The president paused, searching for the right word."Excuse me," he said, "dealing with everything we have to do with…"

The president paused once more. "Look, if we finally beat Medicare," he continued.

Trump hit back immediately: "That's right, he did beat Medicare, he beat it to death. And he's destroying Medicare."

"Thank you, President Biden," CNN moderator Jake Tapper stated. "President Trump?"  "He did beat Medicaid, beat it to death, that he's destroying Medicare," Trump said.

Biden struggled to recover from his startling beginning.

Democrat says 'never seen a freakout like this'

Biden also attempted to attack Trump on the report that the former president had called deceased American soldiers 'suckers and losers' and on his felony conviction in New York.

However, Biden has been repeating these accusations for months, and Trump was prepared, effortlessly transitioning to Hunter Biden's felony conviction and reiterating his stance as the target of a highly politicized witch hunt. 

Biden's debate performance has unsettled some Democrats. A House Democrat, familiar with the discussions, remarked, "I've never seen a freakout like this."

However, the same House Democrat noted that it remains uncertain how strongly they would advocate for Biden to withdraw from the 2024 ticket.

Later in the debate, both Biden and Trump were questioned about their ability to serve as president given their ages.

"I spent half of my career being criticized being the youngest person in politics. I was the second youngest person ever elected to the United States Senate and this guy's three years younger and a lot less competent," Biden urged voters to examine his record. "Look at what I've done."

Trump has claimed to have passed two cognitive tests. Biden appeared more energetic post-debate, addressing supporters at a watch party with a voice that seemed to regain its excitement.

Trump's barb was 'funniest line' in debate

Internet wasn't too kind to Biden. 

One social media user said: "Biden was obviously trying to remember what his handlers told him to say. It reminds me of when you are saying something in a foreign language off a script and you forgot exactly how to pronounce it."

Another called Trump's barb at Biden 'One of the (classiest) 'funniest lines in the debate."

Another user mocked the president's repeated struggles and fumbles and said, "His brain cells were also struggling."

One commentator added, "He is and always has been a disaster."

 

One said, "Struggles with... senility, you mean?"

An X user said, "Yeah, and a terrible performance. This is why you have lost trust."

On the other hand, some backed President Joe Biden despite the criticism directed towards his performance.

A supporter said, "Struggle in what? Biden answered the question, and Trump lied, and everyone is ignoring the facts and focusing on optics. Breaking news: Biden is old but tells the truth. Trump is old, but he lies."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.