President Joe Biden clarified that he nearly fell asleep during the debate with former President Donald Trump due to his tiring travel schedule.
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While speaking at a campaign fundraiser in McLean, Virginia, on Tuesday, Biden explained that his extensive traveling had left him tired before the first presidential debate. According to TMZ, his busy itinerary in the weeks leading up to the debate, including a trip to France in early June for the 80th anniversary of D-Day, took a toll on his energy levels. “I decided to travel around the world a couple of times … shortly before the debate … I didn’t listen to my staff … and then I almost fell asleep on stage,” he explained to the crowd.
After his trip to France, followed by a trip to California for a significant fundraiser in Los Angeles on June 15, he spent a week preparing for the debate at Camp David. Despite his intense schedule, Biden acknowledged his subpar debate performance and stressed the importance of defeating Trump in the upcoming election. He emphasized to his supporters that he was not making excuses for his performance and expressed regret for not being at his best.
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Additionally, the debate’s timing reportedly affected Biden’s performance since it started at 9 PM. Amid last week’s presidential debate, there has been criticism on both sides regarding Trump and Biden’s performances as viewers said both candidates went off-topic on social media.