In a recent interview with CBS News, former First Lady Jill Biden described her reaction to her husband Joe Biden’s performance in the June 27, 2024, presidential debate against Donald Trump.
In the interview, which is set to air in full this weekend, the former First Lady said she was shocked by her husband’s performance, claiming she initially thought he was having a stroke. “I was frightened, because I had never ever seen Joe like that before or since. Never. I don’t know what happened. As I watched it, I thought, ‘Oh, my God, he’s having a stroke.’ And it scared me to death,” she said.
Her comments come nearly two years after the debate, which took place in Atlanta and was hosted by CNN. Biden, then 81, appeared with a raspy voice and delivered slow, incoherent answers, with moments of lost train of thought and difficulty articulating points. Biden also made a number of bizarre comments, including one in which he claimed his administration “beat Medicare.”
The debate marked a significant point in the 2024 election cycle. While mainstream media outlets and Biden surrogates had for months tried to explain away evidence of Biden’s cognitive decline as partisan fake news, a near consensus emerged on the issue following the debate.
In the immediate aftermath, concerns grew about his age and capacity to serve another term. Polling shifted, and pressure mounted within the Democratic Party for him to reconsider his candidacy.
Biden addressed the performance the following day at a rally in North Carolina, during which he acknowledged that he did not debate as effectively as in the past but affirming his commitment to continue. However, over the subsequent weeks, a series of meetings with party leaders, donors, and family members took place
On July 21, 2024, Biden announced that he was suspending his re-election campaign. In his statement, he endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee. Harris went on to become the party’s candidate but ultimately lost the general election to Trump.
The former First Lady’s comments come as Biden has embarked on a media tour to promote her upcoming memoir. She has previously defended her husband’s fitness during and after the campaign.
