Following the debate with President Biden, the editorial board of the Philadelphia Inquirer called on former President Trump to drop out of the race, citing his “serious litany of lies.”
“The debate talk is misguided. The only person who should drop out of the race is Trump.” Editorial Committee I wrote this on Saturday.
Biden’s debate performance caused panic among some Democratic lawmakers as well as members of the media, with several media outlets suggesting he had dropped out of the race.
The Inquirer acknowledged that Biden’s behavior at the debate was a “disaster” but argued that it was Trump who should step down.
“The debate was a reminder of what another four years of the Trump administration will look like: more lies, grievances, narcissism and hatred. Supporters say they love Trump because he says whatever he thinks, but he’s mostly just spewing raw sewage,” the Inquirer wrote.
The editorial board argued that Trump was unfit to be on the debate stage, asking: “Why give him a platform?”
“Yes, Biden had a bad night. He’s 81 years old and not as sharp as he used to be. But even on his worst day, Biden is far better than Trump on his best,” they continued.
They argued that Biden has surrounded himself with experienced aides who place a premium on public service and that the president “believes in what is best for America.”
“The Democratic Party is in complete panic. President Trump delivered the greatest debate performance of all time, while Joe Biden completely humiliated himself in front of the country and the world,” Trump campaign spokesman Stephen Chang told Fox News Digital in a statement.
Other news outlets, including the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and The New York Times, have also called on Biden to step down.
“He failed to outline the most basic aspects of his policies,” the AJC editorial board wrote. “He failed to take credit for significant accomplishments during his three and a half years in office. And he failed to refute the evasions of his opponent, who, according to CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale, lied 30 times during the debate — roughly one for every 90 seconds of allotted time.”
The New York Times called Biden’s candidacy a “reckless gamble.”
“The president emerged Thursday night as a shadow of the great public servant he is. He struggled to explain what he would accomplish in a second term. He struggled to respond to Trump’s provocations. He struggled to hold Trump accountable for his lies, mistakes and terrible plans. More than once, he struggled to finish sentences,” the editorial board wrote.
The Times’ editors argued that Biden had been a fine president, but said “the greatest public service Biden could now do would be to announce that he will not run for reelection.”
