More Questions Than Answers in the Aftermath of the Debate

Editor’s Note: Editor’s Note: Washington Week With The Atlantic is a partnership between NewsHour Productions, WETA, and The Atlantic airing every Friday on PBS stations nationwide. Check your local listings or watch full episodes here.

Going into the first 2024 presidential debate, the Biden campaign’s goal was to draw a stark contrast between the president and Donald Trump. But, amid the fallout over Biden’s performance in the event, Democrats are faced with what once seemed like a forbidden question: Will Biden leave the race?

In the aftermath of the debate, Democrats across the country are voicing resounding concern with Biden’s age and ability to hold office for another four years. The debate unleashed a “funereal environment” among the president’s supporters, Mark Leibovich said on Washington Week With The Atlantic last night. And for some Democrats, a twofold rhetoric has emerged over whether Biden should step aside: “In private they all basically agree; in public they are going to … vouch for Biden and say he’s never been sharper,” Leibovich said.

Even as discussion of Biden’s suitability has been center of mind among Democrats, many still feel that Biden came across as more substantive than Trump during the debate, especially on policy issues. “While Trump, in their view, may have beaten the president with respect to style, they still feel that the president succeeded in terms of making some policy arguments,” Nikole Killion said.

Meanwhile, focus on Biden has, in part, overshadowed discussion of Trump’s debate—particularly the barrage of lies that the former president let loose on topics such as January 6 and abortion. “In any other debate, we’d be talking about the velocity of lies” Trump expressed during the debate, Jeffrey Goldberg said on last night’s show. Trump made “extraordinary claims,” and “yet we’re talking about Joe Biden’s ability—literal ability—to serve. Not a healthy situation for democracy.”

Joining the editor in chief of The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg, to discuss this and more were Leigh Ann Caldwell, the anchor of Washington Post Live; Eugene Daniels, a White House correspondent for Politico; Nikole Killion, a congressional correspondent for CBS News; and Mark Leibovich, a staff writer at The Atlantic.

Watch the full episode here.