On the pier in Manhattan Beach, California, Stella, 21, and her friends are huddled around a phone watching videos of two elderly men rowing on their golf handicap.
It’s not the level of discourse they, or anyone else, expected from the presidential debate.
“It sounds like a drunk, meaningless conversation they’re having at 3 in the morning,” says one young woman.
“Believe Joe Biden He’s cognitively declining,” says another. “I don’t think he was ever qualified to be president, and I don’t think he is now. “I think there is a clear and obvious answer to who is eligible and that is Trump 2024.”
In affluent Manhattan Beach, 65% voted for Joe Biden in 2020, but some Democratic voters here are worried about the version of the president they saw during the debate: weak-voiced, stumbling over his words and unable to sell his vision for America. .
“I felt disappointed, helpless and desperate,” Loretta says. “She didn’t speak well at all. I think she is not insane as they accuse her, but her communication difficulties were evident.”
Read more:
The legal loophole that could oust Biden and who could replace him
Loretta has been a lifelong Democratic voter, but Biden’s performance in the debate might have changed her mind.
“Maybe I’ll have to hold my nose and vote for Trump,” he says. “He has bad character traits. But that certainly gave me pause. Bad food, food poisoning.”
Click here to follow Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts
Biden’s debate performance has already generated thousands of memes, as well as panic in his own party that he may not have the stamina to prevail. Triumph in an electoral campaign.
Genie, of Manhattan Beach, is 81 years old, the same age as Biden. “Maybe at our age we’re a little slower to articulate what we think, but I think she’s still viable and has the mental capacity to do the job,” she says. “My concern is the energy level.”
Genie, 81, believes Biden is ‘still viable’ but worries about ‘energy level’
Harry Swanson, a Trump voter from New York visiting his daughter in California, was not as lenient in his assessment. “Biden went out to lunch,” he says. “It’s not his fault. He’s just an old guy who finds himself in an awkward position.”
“I don’t know who pulls the strings to put these people where they are,” he adds. “If Trump, who I like, was mentally like Biden, there’s no chance he would consider it. I mean, how could you?”
‘I no longer walk as easily as before’
Biden has insisted he will not resign as the Democratic Party candidate, but rumors have intensified about possible alternatives, including the governor of California.
Gavin Newsom is a rising star in the Democratic Party and is considered Biden’s successor. But for now he is totally behind the leader.
“We have to have the support of this president,” he says. “He doesn’t turn his back on a single performance.”
Scott, of Manhattan Beach, says he would prefer to see Newsom as the nominee. “He has a very powerful presence and someone younger would be good,” he says. “I think he would have a better chance of beating Trump.”
Chicago’s Martin agrees. “The best thing for them would be to get Biden to resign and have someone else run for the Democrats because from the looks of it, it’s not looking good,” he says. “I just know that I would vote for anyone but Biden or Trump.”
Trump at a campaign rally in Chesapeake, Virginia, after facing Biden in the debate.
Read more:
Democrats angry that Biden’s ego could lose the election
The key moments of Trump v Biden
Biden’s performance is one of, if not the worst, in history
Stay up to date with the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
Martin is one of the “double haters,” a phrase used to describe voters who are dismayed that Biden or Trump is likely to be their choice in November.
After Thursday’s debate, those double enemies may have increased in number.
This story originally appeared on News.sky.com read the full story
