User:Endwise/sandbox

CNN hosted the first major debate of the election on June 27. Biden's debate performance was widely described as the worst since the beginning of televised debates in 1960,  with multiple domestic and international media outlets characterizing it as a "disaster" for the incumbent president and his party. Commentators noted that Biden frequently lost his train of thought and gave meandering, confused answers. An Ipsos poll found that 60% of Americans thought Trump won the debate, 21% thought Biden won, while 19% were unsure.

Biden's debate performance led to widespread concern about his age, cognitive ability, and continued viability as a candidate. Following the debate, some elected officials, party strategists, and fundraisers conversed about replacing Biden as the party's candidate, including considering whether prominent Democrats should make a public statement asking him to step aside, and some Democrats began calling for a brokered convention to replace Biden. The editorial board of the New York Times urged Biden to step aside as a candidate, saying "the greatest public service Mr. Biden can now perform is to announce that he will not continue to run for re-election." However, a Biden campaign spokesperson confirmed that Biden would not be dropping out. Former president Barack Obama and former Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton both reiterated their support for Biden following the debate.