Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock, a Democrat, on Sunday defended President Joe Biden after his dismal performance during the first general election debate against former President Donald Trump, echoing statements other top campaign aides and Democrats have made over the past three days .
“Bad debates happen, like [former] President [Barack] Obama said,” Warnock said during an interview with NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” adding, “And that went on for 90 minutes. But let me tell you about those 90 minutes. Donald Trump lied for the entire 90 minutes.”
In the debate’s aftermath, some Democrats scrambled to defend the president, while others considered replacing Biden as the Democratic nominee.
NBC News reported Saturday that some top Democrats, including Reps. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, Jim Clyburn of South Carolina and Nancy Pelosi of California, have privately expressed concerns about the president’s viability, although they have publicly supported.
But Warnock’s remarks on Sunday echoed the president’s own defense of his debate performance.
At a fundraiser Saturday in East Hampton, New York, Biden told attendees, “I understand the concern about the debate — I get it.”
He added: “I didn’t have a great night, [but] voters had a different reaction. Since the debate, the polls have shown a bit of movement, they’ve actually moved us up.”
Warnock also attacked Trump, calling the former president a “pathological liar” and a “malignant narcissist.”
“Our country is better than this,” Warnock added.
The senator’s comments come later the editorial board of the Atlanta Journal-Constitutiona prominent Georgia newspaper, on Sunday joined The New York Times editorial board in calling for Biden’s resignation.
Warnock, like other Democrats, has consistently downplayed concerns that Biden is unfit for another term, saying, “I think the American people sitting at their kitchen table this morning are asking, ‘Who cares?’ Who’s thinking about me? And we have no proof that Donald Trump ever thought about anyone other than himself.”
At the fundraiser on Saturday, Biden also downplayed concerns about the New York Times editorial, saying, “And by the way, the Times had their editorial and guess what? They also point out [Trump] lied 28 times in a matter of 90 minutes. It is very good. The big lesson was her lies.”
Moderator Kristen Welker also asked Warnock about calls for Biden to step aside, potentially creating a path for Vice President Kamala Harris to run for president.
“I have great respect for Vice President Harris, with whom I spent a lot of time, but Joe Biden is the nominee,” Warnock said, adding, “I will do everything I can to make sure we elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.”
This story originally appeared on NBCNews.com read the full story
