After last Thursday's dramatic first presidential debate, commentators from around the world had scathing things to say about the two White House rivals. Some media outlets described the debate as a "reality show" in which a weak Biden self-destructed in front of the world, while an aggressive Trump lied and slurred his words during the debate.
A series of new post-debate polls have become pessimistic for Biden, with Donald Trump now leading President Biden by six points among potential voters. Overall, 74 percent of voters agree that Mr. Biden is too old to be president. Meanwhile, a new CNN poll shows that three-quarters of Americans believe Democrats would have a better chance of beating Trump if they chose a candidate other than Biden.
On top of that, pressure from within the party has further worsened Biden's political standing. There are growing concerns within the Democratic Party about the presidential candidacy, with some Democratic lawmakers frankly expressing their deep concern about Biden's trajectory and ability to win, and calling on Biden to forfeit the party's nomination.
In an effort to calm public concerns, Biden will be interviewed on ABC News on Friday, which is perhaps even more demanding of his acumen than the debate was. He will also meet with Democratic governors in Washington in response to party insiders' demands for direct contact, underscoring what many Democrats see as months of indifference and unresponsiveness from Biden's inner circle to their concerns.
While Biden still seems to be deep in the crisis spiral of this debate, Trump is not in a very good position, with his still carrying the title of a convicted felon. Criminal sentencing for Donald J. Trump, when a New York jury finds him guilty of 34 counts of first-degree falsification of business records, is expected to take place in early July.
Trump's status as a convicted felon has also generated a lot of discussion. Legal sources say there is currently no law in the U.S. prohibiting felons from running for president. But will the reality of having a criminal record affect Trump's bid for the White House? After the first presidential debate, the clouds are still shifting in the US 2024 presidential election.
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