The two men traded barbs on abortion, immigration, the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, their handling of the economy and even their golf games as they each sought to shake up what opinion polls show has been a virtually tied race for months.
Biden's allies tried to put a brave face on the evening, and two White House officials said Biden had a cold.
But the president's poor performance rattled his fellow Democrats and will likely deepen voter concerns that the 81-year-old is too old to serve another four-year term.
One top Biden donor, who did not want to be identified while criticizing the president, called his performance "disqualifying" and said he expected a fresh round of calls for him to step aside ahead of the party's national convention in August.
Vice President Kamala Harris, appearing on CNN after the debate, acknowledged what she called Biden's "slow start," but argued that voters should judge him and Trump based on their years in office.
"I'm not going to spend all night with you talking about the last 90 minutes when I've been watching the last three-and-a-half years of performance," she told CNN host Anderson Cooper.
A hoarse-sounding Biden stumbled over his words on several occasions during the debate's first half-hour. But he found his footing at the halfway mark when he attacked Trump over his conviction for covering up hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels, calling him a "felon." In response, Trump brought up the recent conviction of Biden's son, Hunter, for lying about his drug use to buy a gun.
Moments later, Biden noted that almost all of Trump's former Cabinet members, including former vice president Mike Pence, have not endorsed his campaign.
Esta historia es de la edición June 29, 2024 de The Philippine Star.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición June 29, 2024 de The Philippine Star.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Romualdez promises teachers higher pay, more benefits
Speaker Martin Romualdez assured the country's nearly one million public school teachers that the House of Representatives will pay more attention to their plight, particularly in terms of salaries and benefits, as well as additional classrooms and equipment.
BBM marks 2 national October celebrations
President Marcos has declared Oct.15 of every year as National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day to increase awareness of and provide comprehensive support for affected families.
Phl condemns China attack of Vietnam fishermen
The Philippines on Friday denounced China's alleged assault of Vietnamese fishermen in the South China Sea, where Manila and Beijing are also locked in violent confrontations that have led to fears of armed conflict.
SC affirms RTC jurisdiction over wills probated abroad
The Supreme Court (SC) has clarified the jurisdiction of regional trial courts over wills validated in foreign countries, ruling that RTCs have the authority to handle reprobate proceedings involving foreign probated wills.
Phl hosting Int'l Conference on Women, Peace and Security
The Philippines will host the International Conference on Women, Peace and Security (ICWPS) later this month, which is expected to be attended by representatives from more than 54 countries from Africa, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, South Asia and the Asia Pacific.
Bong Go continues push for inclusive economic recovery
A day after filing his candidacy for the 2025 senatorial elections, Sen.
Marcos transfers Film Academy from DepEd to DTI
President Marcos has issued an order placing the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) under the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to further boost the country's film industry.
Crowd-sourcing data could help Philippines tackle deadly floods
Crowd-sourced data could help better predict the effects of the tropical storms and typhoons that regularly batter the Philippines and so save lives, disaster risk experts said.
DA: Expect lower rice prices this month
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said rice prices are expected to lower later this month, following the sharp slowdown in the September inflation rate due to the decline in food prices.
Gibo working with Jinggoy to amend espionage law
Amid concerns over possible spying activities in the country by Chinese nationals disguised as Filipinos, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr.has committed to work with Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada in strengthening the country's anti-espionage law, which dates back to the US colonial era.