Who won the debate? Biden's incoherent performance worsens age fears

The president came into his debate with Donald Trump with a low bar to clear, and he struggled, writes Anthony Zurcher.

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The president came into the debate with a low bar to clear, and he stumbled. He was flat. He was rambling. He was unclear.

About midway through the debate, the Biden campaign said that the president was battling a cold - an attempt to explain his raspy voice. That may be so, but it also sounded like an excuse.

For 90 minutes, more often than not, he was on the ropes. Particularly early in the evening, some of his answers were nonsensical. After losing his train of thought he ended one answer by saying, “We finally beat Medicare” – an odd reference to the government-run healthcare programme for the elderly.

Mr Biden's own former communications director Kate Bedingfield was on CNN immediately after the debate, and she was clear: "There's no two ways about it, that was not a good debate for Joe Biden."

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crgedpw4r5eo

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