Nancy Pelosi trolled as she defends Biden after debate, claims health experts think ‘Trump has dementia’

WASHINGTON, DC: Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi came to President Joe Biden's defense following his widely criticized debate performance in Atlanta.

During the debate, Biden appeared disoriented at times, even losing his train of thought mid-sentence. His voice - apparently strained by a "cold" - sounded hoarse and weak, which only exacerbated concerns about his age and mental acuity.

Nancy Pelosi defends Joe Biden and goes after Donald Trump

Pelosi responded to calls from some Democrats and media outlets for Biden to step down, and to polls indicating that a significant majority of Americans doubt his mental fitness for the presidency. She redirected the conversation by attacking Republican candidate Donald Trump.

CNN's Dana Bash asked Pelosi if there was any part of her that believed Biden should step aside.

Pelosi said, "My people are very much Biden-Kamala Harris and this is an opportunity for Joe Biden to go out there and show he has the stamina."

"There are health care professionals who think that Trump has dementia, that his connection, his thoughts do not go together. Not only that he just lies, he doesn‘t even know the truth, so if we‘re just talking about mental acuity, let’s be fair about it." 

Responding to accusations that she and other Democrats were "enabling" Biden in a losing campaign, Pelosi dismissed the notion outright: “We see Joe Biden up close. We know how attuned he is to the issues, how informed he is. I debate with him on legislation. Not debate, discussion. And he’s right there.”

She acknowledged Biden's poor debate performance but defended his presidency, stating, “It was a bad night. Let’s not sugarcoat that. It was a bad night. It was a great presidency. And that’s what the American people have to choose.”

Polls reveal that an increasing number of voters question Biden's mental fitness for the presidency. A CBS poll found that only 27% of respondents believe Biden possesses the mental and cognitive health required for the job.

Other Democrats echoed this sentiment during news shows, unanimously agreeing that Biden's debate performance was subpar.

Rep Jamie Raskin was the only one who acknowledged ongoing discussions within the party about Biden's future on the ticket.

Democrats' divided reactions and Joe Biden's campaign challenges

Despite the debate fallout, most Democrats refused to break with Biden, including senators from crucial swing states like Pennsylvania and Georgia.

John Fetterman, reflecting on his own debate experience, told Fox News, “There was the same kind of a freakout after my debate, and in fact I might even say that I had a more difficult evening than the president did. And here I am right now, having this conversation.”

James Clyburn, a prominent Biden ally in the Congressional Black Caucus, also supported Biden remaining in the race. However, behind the scenes, the Democratic Party is reportedly in a state of panic or at least serious concern.

Democratic sources speaking to The Independent after the debate believed Biden should make the difficult decision to step aside. One strategist bluntly stated, “Horrible. Need to have [Kamala] Harris take over. Cleanest option.”

Current polling shows Biden trailing his 2020 opponent, Donald Trump, in several key battleground states. While Biden maintains a fundraising lead over Trump, this advantage has not yet translated into field success. Despite this, Biden’s campaign reported a fundraising surge following the debate, claiming to have raised over $33 million by Sunday.

Campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dixon addressed concerns in a memo to supporters: “It’s a familiar story: Following Thursday night’s debate, the beltway class is counting Joe Biden out. The data in the battleground states, though, tells a different story.”

She emphasized the campaign's readiness for a close election, stating, “Our team knows a thing or two about putting our heads down and doing the work to win hard races. This will be a very close election. It was always going to be...That’s what our campaign has been planning for.”

Biden addressed the debate backlash at a campaign fundraiser attended by radio host Howard Stern and others.

“I understand the concern about the debate. I get it. I didn’t have a great night,” Biden admitted. “But here’s what’s not getting reported: Voters had a different reaction than the pundits. Since the debate, polls show a little movement, and we’ve moved up, actually.”

He also criticized Trump, referencing a New York Times editorial that pointed out Trump’s numerous falsehoods during the debate: “He -- and, by the way, the Times had their editorial. Well, guess what? They also pointed out he lied 28 times in a matter of 90 minutes.”

Internet reacts to Nancy Pelosi's defense of Joe Biden and critique of Donald Trump

Pelosi faced backlash on social media for her comments about Trump's mental state. Critics mocked her, questioning her own sobriety and accusing her of delusion.

"How much has she had to drink? She is delusional!" one posted on X.

"Nancy’s been a bit too far into the bottomless Bloody Mary’s this morning," another wrote.

"So we should believe Pickled Pelosi after 10 martinis over our own eyes? Got it!" someone else quipped.

"Nancy needs to put the bottle down," a comment read.

"Even brain-dead CNN viewers are laughing at that drunk psychopath," another chimed in.

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.