Elon Musk, the CEO of prominent corporations Tesla, Starlink, and SpaceX, seems to be under the impression that the recent debate between current President Joe Biden and his predecessor, Donald Trump, was more of a theatrical play than a serious political event. Musk voiced his observations on the X platform shortly after the debate, adding his commentary to a post made by billionaire investor David Sacks. He described the presidential contenders as ‘talking puppets’ and expressed skepticism over the authenticity of the debate.
David Sacks originally commented on the debate by criticizing CNN commentators for their apparent lack of loyalty and remorse towards the president. Responding to the commentator’s portrayal of Biden, Sacks posted, ‘The sight of CNN commentators backstabbing Biden really leaves a distaste. There is no sense of loyalty, nor a hint of remorse. This is simply revolting.’
‘This race between Biden and Trump isn’t a nail-biter anymore’, remarked Larry Sabato, Director at the University of Virginia Center for Politics, during a CNN slot the following day. He ruled out the chances of Biden narrowing the gap with Trump by merely participating in an interview with ABC News or conducting a series of rallies.
According to Sabato, President Biden’s singular interview isn’t enough to amend the situation. His words were clear, ‘If anything, [President Biden] should aim to arrest the decline, which has indeed been pretty severe. We have been through several amounts of data, both public and confidential, and it’s quite alarming. The Democrats must realize that we’re not on steady ground and the race is anything but a close one now. The competition between Trump and Biden has ended.’
Elon Musk, on his part, appears dubious regarding what he views as a theatrical display in the political arena. Substantiating his point, Sabato referenced last week’s four main polls, including CNN’s, noting the rare concurrence these polls demonstrated. He mentioned, ‘Even in well-organized polls, you rarely see unison like this. Biden, once neck-and-neck or trailing Trump by two points at most, is now, according to these polls, trailing by six points. That is a gap of several million voters.’
Sabato skeptically commented on the potential remedies to the situation, saying, ‘So, what’s going give these voters a change of heart? An impressive interview or an energetic rally? Let’s get real.’
In spite of the odds being stacked heavily against him, Biden has affirmed his commitment to remain a contender in the presidential race against former President Trump. However, this proclamation by Biden seems to be discordant with the popular sentiment. A poll conducted by Rasmussen Reports revealed quite unsettling news for both Biden and the current Vice President, Kamala Harris, with more than half of the respondents stating that the president should withdraw his candidacy.
The Rasmussen poll delivered an even bigger blow to the Democrats. It showed that half of those polled suggested that if Biden was to step aside, the Democrats should nominate a fresh face, not Harris. Out of note, nearly half of the polled Democrat voters somewhat agreed that Biden should step out, supporting a change of candidate within the party.
Another poll organized by Cygnal painted a similar grim picture for the Democrats. The respondents showed an utter lack of faith in the president’s debate performance and vice president’s abilities. Brent Buchanan, President of Cygnal, said in response, ‘Post-debate, we are witnessing the biggest month-over-month shifts toward Republican favor in our polling history, moving from R+0 to R+4.’
Buchanan further commented on Biden’s public image, ‘President Biden’s image has deteriorated, with an unfavourable rating of 62% following the debate, which was watched by 67% of the respondents.’ He also stated, ‘Trump’s conduct during the debate gained him the favor of undecided viewers and even some previous Biden supporters, which has undoubtedly hampered the Democrats’ political landscape.’
Adding to his string of challenges, Biden caused some confusion at a rally in Wisconsin when he claimed that he is still in the running for the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee. He addressed the crowd with the words, ‘There’s been a lot of conjecture: What am I going to do? Will I cling onto the race or bow out?’
Biden continued, ‘So here’s my answer: I’m sticking to the race and I’m here to win.’ However, his speech briefly came to a halt. He then added boldly, ‘I will trump Trump again, just as I did in 2020.’ ‘I am the candidate of choice of the Democratic Party. You elected me to be your candidate — not anyone else.’
He concluded his speech saying, ‘Some people do not seem to respect your choice. They are attempting to pressure me to leave the race. Let me clarify this: I’m staying put.’ It seems like the stage is set for an intriguing and high-stake political battle.