Obama Offers Tepid Biden Statement: ‘Bad Debate Nights Happen’
Former President Barack Obama, who is no stranger to bad first debates, acknowledged President Joe Biden’s collar-tugging performance on Thursday night. And while he didn’t urge Biden to step aside, as some high-profile supporters have, he hardly gave his former VP a full-throated endorsement either.
Obama, who was also prepped by Biden’s debate coach Ron Klain before his October surprise of a debate with Mitt Romney in 2012, told followers in an X post on Friday afternoon: “Bad debate nights happen. Trust me, I know.”
The former president added that despite Biden’s performance, “this election is still a choice between someone who has fought for ordinary folks his entire life and someone who only cares about himself.”