‘It’s Frightening’: Democratic Voters Worried by Biden’s Struggles in Debate
The New York Times
Democrats found President Biden’s performance disconcerting, while Republicans were in a jubilant mood. Swing voters were flummoxed.
They started the night hoping that President Biden would use the first debate of 2024 to his advantage, that he would finally quash fears about his age and give the impression of a determined statesman compared with former President Donald J. Trump.
But for the roughly 40 Democrats who gathered Thursday night at a union hall in Sacramento, it did not take long for the mood to descend into something between grim despair and mild panic. Within minutes, even ardent supporters in the capital of California fell silent, exchanging glances and acknowledging quietly that Mr. Biden, his virtues aside, seemed less forceful than Mr. Trump, and weary. Toward the end, some of the younger attendees left before the debate was over.
“Neither of them inspires confidence,” said Dubrea Sanders, 25. “It’s going to be a very scary November for a lot of people, including myself.”
The crowd, mostly state workers, policy analysts, labor activists and members of a local Young Democrats organization, cheered from white folding chairs when the president took the stage and heckled Mr. Trump’s false claims, roaring with laughter as Mr. Trump mispronounced “China” and talked about “immaculate water.”
But the frailty in Mr. Biden’s voice gave them pause.
“Have you seen Twitter?” winced Nancy Van Leuven, 72, a retired media and communications professor, pointing to early criticism of Mr. Biden’s performance. “The thing is, Biden looks older. And Trump is still resolute; even if he’s not telling the truth, it still looks believable.”
The Constitution sets a two-term limit for presidents. Still, Donald J. Trump has repeatedly floated the idea that he might like to stay in the White House beyond his next term.
In other testimony, law enforcement witnesses placed the suspect, José Ibarra, at the scene of Ms. Riley’s killing, mainly through cellphone and GPS tracking data.
The warning, which extends beyond the city to include 10 other counties in New York state, was announced as wildfires burned and residents continued to await meaningful rainfall.
A new curriculum would focus on Christianity more than other religions. A kindergarten lesson on the Golden Rule, for example, would teach about Jesus and his Sermon on the Mount.
A suspect was arrested Monday morning in connection with the stabbings, which occurred across a broad swath of the borough over several hours and left a third person critically injured.
The 99-year-old house on Boston’s North Shore is battered and uninhabited. And yet, it is beloved by artists and locals — so much that they helped pause its demolition.
Slashing the original $15 toll raises questions about whether a smaller revenue stream could delay projects or lead to higher costs for New York’s public transit agency.
The group’s actions in Columbus on Saturday, part of a recent pattern of white supremacist incidents in the country, were condemned by officials around the state.
As a Senate recount plays out, at least four counties are ignoring an order from the State Supreme Court that undated or misdated mail ballots cannot be counted.
The voluntary evacuation plan was put in place in areas affected by the Jennings Creek wildfire. Officials encouraged residents of 165 homes to move out temporarily.
In a court filing, the judge said the conviction of Melissa Lucio, whose scheduled execution in 2022 was halted, should be overturned. The state’s highest criminal court will now decide.