President Joe Biden recently admitted he was so tired after a foreign trip that he nearly fell asleep during a presidential debate with Donald Trump on July 27. Despite having 13 days to rest after his trip, including a week at Camp David where he reportedly took afternoon naps, Biden struggled during the debate.
Traveling Before the Debate
Speaking to Democratic donors in McLean, Virginia, Biden explained that he decided to travel around the world shortly before the debate. “It wasn’t very smart [to be] traveling around the world a couple of times,” he said. “I didn’t listen to my staff… and then I almost fell asleep on stage.”
Biden had only two brief trips abroad recently. From June 5-9, he visited France to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day. He spent the first day of his trip at his hotel and did not attend any public events. From June 12-14, he was in Italy for the annual G7 summit.
After these trips, Biden spent June 18-20 at his Rehoboth Beach getaway before heading to Camp David for a week. During the week before the debate, he stayed out of the public eye and had plenty of time for rest.
As per the report by The New York Times, Biden’s debate preparation sessions didn’t start before 11 a.m., and he was given time for an afternoon nap each day. Despite this, his performance during the debate was considered disastrous by many. He stumbled, froze, stared blankly, and misspoke during the event.
Biden’s Determination to Continue
Despite the criticism and growing calls for him to drop out of the race, Biden has vowed to participate in a second debate against Trump. CNN senior White House correspondent Kayla Tausche reported that an adviser insisted the president would return to the debate stage in September.
Biden’s debate performance has raised concerns within the Democratic Party. Many members are worried about his ability to handle the demands of the presidency. However, Biden appears determined to continue his campaign and not drop out of the race.
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