Members of the media expressed shock and horror at President Biden's debate performance right out of the gate Thursday.
"Look. This debate was a total and complete disaster for Biden. He looked old. His answers trailed off repeatedly. He was hard to understand. He would stop in mid sentence and move on to something else," former CNN commentator Chris Cilizza wrote. "I NEVER thought he would be this bad. Stunning. Truly.
"Biden’s hoarse voice and resting face overwhelming the actual back and forth, but early yet," Politico columnist Jonathan Martin reacted to the president's presentation.
"The Biden team hates stories about Biden's age. They are about to get a lot more," Axios reporter Alex Thompson warned.
"In first half-hour of debate, a raspy Biden delivers rambling answers while Trump counters with energy and falsehoods," Associated Press correspondent Seung Min Kim posted on X.
BIDEN MAKES STUNNING OMISSION WHILE CLAIMING NO TROOPS DIED ‘ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD' ON HIS WATCH
"'Biden’s age is a political problem' got me yelled at two weeks ago," New York Times reporter Astead Herdon wrote.
"I've watched a lot of Biden talks. I've never heard him sound this frail," Vox correspondent Zack Beauchamp reacted.
"The most incoherent and ignorant man to ever run for president is getting the better of the sitting president, who has been in politics for decades. This is bad. Bad," former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan said.
"I'm listening on the radio, and the audible difference between Biden and Trump is really striking," former CNN host Brian Stelter wrote.
Others are already floating the idea of removing him not just from the Democratic ticket but from the White House entirely.
"Hearing from countless viewers of all political stripes and the consensus is Biden needs to be replaced. It’s worse than I believe most people imagined," said "The View" co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin.
"It’s over. Biden looks and sounds ancient. Losing his train of thought. Speaking in a barely audible whisper. They have to pull him!!!" The Young Turk's Cenk Uygur exclaimed.
CNN anchor Kasie Hunt alleges the Democrats she has heard from are "nearly beside themselves."
"The voice, open-mouthed look, and visual contrast between President Biden and former President Trump all have Democrats I'm talking to nearly beside themselves watching this debate," Hunt wrote.
"Trump’s taken control of the momentum of this debate — despite lying and living in an alternate reality — and Biden simply comes across as a somewhat dazed punching bag," MSNBC political analyst Tim O'Brien said.
Cook Political Report editor-in-chief Amy Walter offered a reminder that the reason Biden wanted the debate "was to show a contrast with Trump and to make this a referendum on Trump."
"Instead, only thing we’re talking about is Biden’s poor performance," Walter added.
