Donald Trump’s team is gearing up for a potential strong showing from Biden in the upcoming debate, already setting the stage to dismiss it as a sham.
The former president and his allies have begun laying groundwork to cast doubt on President Biden’s performance, suggesting without evidence that Biden may rely on performance enhancers to excel at the debate in Atlanta next week.
This strategy mirrors past efforts to downplay Biden’s successful State of the Union address earlier this year. Republicans, wary that Biden could defy perceptions of him as frail and confused, are cautioning against high expectations for the debate.
While some within the GOP advise downplaying Biden’s debating skills, Trump himself has vacillated between labeling Biden as inept and preemptively insinuating that any strong performance from Biden would be due to unspecified outside assistance.
“He’s gonna be so pumped up. He’s gonna be pumped up,” Trump asserted at a recent rally in Wisconsin.
Senior campaign adviser Jason Miller echoed these sentiments, implying Biden might use substances during the debate, contrasting Biden’s alleged need for chemical aid with Trump’s purported endurance and spontaneity in public appearances.
Meanwhile, Fox News host Sean Hannity suggested Trump might consider skipping the debate, speculating that Biden might rely on substances like Red Bull or caffeine pills to boost his performance.
“Whatever Joe drank, ate, took before the State of the Union — maybe it was just Red Bull and caffeine pills. I don’t know. Whatever it was, that was not the normal Joe,” Hannity said. “We never saw it before, and we haven’t seen it since. But we will see it for the debate.”
The Biden campaign declined to comment on these claims.
As Trump seeks to shape the narrative around Biden’s anticipated strong performance, he has simultaneously sought to lower expectations for his opponent, deriding Biden as incompetent and weak, and even joking about facing multiple adversaries including debate moderators.
Republicans have circulated videos purportedly showing Biden stumbling or losing focus, although these clips have been criticized as misleading.
The White House has dismissed these videos as deceptive and argued that Republicans are attacking Biden’s competence because they cannot challenge the president’s legislative accomplishments.
Despite ongoing scrutiny over Biden’s sharpness and stamina, the president has demonstrated capability in delivering energetic speeches during significant moments throughout his term.
The upcoming debate is seen as a critical juncture, with high stakes particularly for Biden, who faces persistent doubts about his age and cognitive abilities. A misstep could reinforce these concerns among voters, including those within his own party.
However, insiders report that Trump allies are also concerned that the former president may display signs of cognitive decline and could veer into aimless rambling during the debate.
