President Biden’s dismal debate performance Letters to the Editor — June 29, 2024

President Joe Biden looks down as he participates in the first presidential debate of the 2024 elections with former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at CNN's studios in Atlanta, Georgia. AFP via Getty Images

The Issue: Evidence of President Biden’s cognitive decline during the presidential debate on June 27.

Watching the debate invoked deep sadness in me (“Just sad,” June 28).

If President Biden had not wrought so much destruction on our country and told so many lies, I would have actually felt sorry for him.

Americans deserve better.

Biden is clearly just too old to be commander-in-chief.

Michael Pravica

Henderson, Nev.

After Biden’s pathetically disastrous performance Thursday night, it is resoundingly irrefutable that he is woefully incapable of being president of the United States.

The leader of the free world is the most arduous job in the world.

Any reasonable person can see that Biden is obviously deficient in the mental and physical necessities required.

And his tenure has been an unmitigated disaster at every turn.

It was disquieting and sad to witness such a cringeworthy spectacle.

Thursday’s debate was the watershed moment that underlined what we have known for quite sometime: Joe must go.

Denis David

East Rockaway

Despite a disappointing debate performance, accentuated by a pronounced feeble manner and weak voice, Biden still demonstrated experience, integrity and a grasp of issues that affect all Americans.

Donald Trump was undeniably more vigorous, but vitality alone is no reassurance when it comes to protecting the sovereignty of our nation.

Trump’s widely known character flaws usually detract attention from his ignorance about matters crucial to effective governance.

Not this time.

His nescience was on full display.

Voters must decide if they want an ill-informed president who favors dismantling the Constitution or one hell-bent on doing whatever is necessary to protect it.

Jim Paladino

Tampa, Fla.

Biden’s cognitive impairment has been exposed again on the world stage, denying his enablers the ability to falsely claim that we simply witnessed “cheap fakes.”

What is truly frightening is the thought that this was Joe Biden at his best after allegedly receiving performance-enhancement drugs.

Gerald Jacobs

Boca Raton, Fla.

When I was a sophomore in high school, some neighborhood kids propped a friend up to challenge me to a wrestling match.

The contest began and within seconds, my boyhood friend was on his back with a leg broken in three places.

My father gave me a lecture on the meaning of a fair contest.

I was an athlete.

My friend was not.

I should have known better than to accept the challenge.

Based on the performances of the participants in the presidential debate, Trump should refrain from accepting future challenges from Biden.

The contest is not fair.

Joe’s loved ones should have mercy and compassion.

Put him out to pasture to nibble on the grass in the sunlight for his remaining years.

Jack Condon

Huntington Station

The president’s debate performance leaves no doubt that he is not up for another four years in office, and this has been obvious for some time.

The most culpable parties in this charade are his wife and family, who have apparently put their wants and needs ahead of Biden’s well-being.

There can be no other explanation.

Peter Kelly

Hazlet, NJ

It is astonishing that there are still people convinced that Biden is capable of serving another six months, let alone another four years.

Yet the general consensus is he will not voluntarily step aside in favor of someone with sharper mental acuity.

Tragically, the one person who is close enough to him to have that kind of influence also seems to be oblivious to the débâcle unfolding before our very eyes.

Is Jill Biden so determined to live in the White House for the next four years that she’s willing for her husband to be subjected to the ridicule of more than half the country?

If this isn’t elder abuse, I don’t know what is.

Marsha Motzen

Englewood, NJ