On Friday morning after the presidential debate, ABC’s Good Morning America claimed that former President Donald Trump made more mistakes than President Joe Biden. One of the biggest focuses in this debate was if Biden was mentally fit to serve another four years; however, he was not able to meet this hope Thursday night.
Co-host and former Clinton official George Stephanopoulos admitted that “from the start, Joe Biden struggled to answer questions”, but unsurprisingly added that “Trump launched a series of lies and misleading attacks.” He stated that “key figures from across the [democratic] party [are] talking about replacing Biden on the ticket.”
Congressional correspondent Rachel Scott observed that, following Biden’s performance, his party is now “scrambling” as they try to figure out what to do next.
“This morning panic and concern within the democratic party after this debate performance from President Biden” she shared.
Scott explained that from the beginning of the debate, Biden spoke with a “raspy voice” and “at times stumbling and trailing off” even acknowledging that he was “unable to finish his thoughts.” Abortion, one of the key issues for the Biden campaign, was even a topic that the President didn’t speak clearly about.
Scott then professed that Trump “deflected and he would not say whether he would accept the results of the November election.” She then played a clip of Trump clearly stating, “If it's a fair and legal and good election, absolutely. I would have much rather accepted these, but the fraud and everything else was ridiculous.”
Surprisingly, Scott exclaimed “even his own Vice President acknowledging he had a rough go.” A clip was then played of Kamala Harris stuttering as she admitted, “Listen, he -- it did not get off to a strong start in that debate” she attempted to support Biden by adding on “but he had a strong finish.”
Scott concluded by declaring that “Trump did make several false and misleading claims, many of which went unchecked or challenged on that debate stage.”
Chief Washington correspondent and three-time anti-Trump author Jonathan Karl wanted to take a jab at Trump saying it “was a rapid fire lie after lie, untruth after untruth.”
He continued to rant saying Trump had “ridiculous” claims like how “Nancy Pelosi turned down his effort on January 6 to send 10,000 National Guard troops to the Capitol” which was proven to be true from a video leaked a few weeks ago.
Karl finished explaining “normally, I would say no way he’s the sitting president” but professed that “Democrats know the stakes just couldn’t be higher.”
His final push for the Biden campaign was the idea that “If Biden cannot defeat Donald Trump, you have a return to what Democrats say is an absolute disaster crisis for the country and return of Donald Trump to the White House.”
Click "Expand" to view the transcript:
ABC Good Morning America
6/28/2024
4:02:14 AM EDT
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: From the start, Joe Biden struggled to answer questions, reinforcing questions about his age. Trump launched a series of lies and misleading attacks but he faced fact checking and did it in a forceful manner. By the time the 90 minutes were up, the Trump beat about Bidens age from Democrats had key figures from across the party talking about replacing Biden on the ticket. Rachel Scott starts us off from Atlanta. Good morning, Rachel.
RACHEL SCOTT: George, good morning to you. This was the biggest political stage yet of the 2024 campaign and Democrats are really looking to President Biden to put to rest those questions and concerns about his age. But this morning his performance is only fueling more and sending his party scrambling.
This morning panic and concern within the democratic party after this debate performance from president Biden.
[Cut to Biden clip]
RACHEL SCOTT: From the start of the debate, the president speaking with a raspy voice, at times stumbling and trailing off, unable to finish his thought. Even on the issues at the heart of his campaign like abortion rights.
[Cut to Biden clip]
Rachel Scott: The Biden campaign telling reporters the president, who is 81 years old, had a cold, something they did not mention until an hour into the debate. Trump questioning Biden's mental fitness.
[Cut to Trump clip]
7:15:27
SCOTT: But when pressed on his actions, Trump deflected and he would not say whether he would accept the results of the November election.
[Cut to Trump clip]
DONALD TRUMP: If it's a fair and legal and good election, absolutely. I would have much rather accepted these, but the fraud and everything else was ridiculous.
SCOTT: Trump pushed several false claims from insisting there was no terror during his administration, to claiming that every legal scholar in the world supported overturning Roe v. Wade.
7:16:30
SCOTT: The most consequential night of the campaign ended with only more questions. Even his own Vice President acknowledging he had a rough go.
[Cut to Kamala Clip]
KAMALA HARRIS: Listen, it did not get off to a strong start in that debate but he had a strong finish.
SCOTT: Donald Trump did make several false and misleading claims, many of which went unchecked or challenged on that debate stage even by President Biden. This morning many Democrats calling that a missed opportunity. The president did make a late night stop at a Waffle House. He was asked directly about his debate performance. He said he had no concerns, but that is not what we are hearing from Democrats this morning, George.
7:10:30
JONATHAN KARL (CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT): Look Trump was remarkably disciplined for Donald Trump. They believe he did very well. He didn't seem unhinged. But, yes, there was a rapid fire lie after lie untruth after untruth and the real frustration among so many Democrats was that there was nothing to effectively push back. I mean, he said things that were, frankly, you know, ridiculous. He said everybody wanted Roe v Wade overturned. He said that Nancy Pelosi turned down his effort on January 6th to send 10,000 National Guard troops to the Capitol. This stuff is just completely false.
7:11:16
KARL: Look I really think it's quite possible. Look normally I would say no way, he's the sitting president. A weak debate performance there's no way you can replace him but democrats know the stakes just couldn't be higher. If Biden cannot defeat Donald Trump you have a return to what Democrats say is an absolute disaster crisis for the country and return of Donald Trump to the White House.
(...)
