Philadelphia Inquirer editorial board has called on former President Donald Trump to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race following his debate with President Joe Biden. They cited his performance as a “bombastic litany of lies” and insisted that he should step down.
In a report by the New York Post on Monday, July 1, 2024, the Inquirer editorial board stated, “The debate about the debate is misplaced. The only person who should withdraw from the race is Trump.” Despite acknowledging Biden’s performance as a “disaster,” they argued Trump should bow out, stating, “The debate served as a reminder of what another four years of Trump would look like. More lies, grievance, narcissism, and hate. Supporters say they like Trump because he says whatever he thinks. But he mainly spews raw sewage.”
The editorial board questioned why Trump deserved a spot on the debate stage, contrasting Biden’s leadership, despite his poor performance, with Trump’s. “Yes, Biden had a horrible night. He’s 81 and not as sharp as he used to be. But Biden on his worst day remains lightyears better than Trump on his best.” They praised Biden for surrounding himself with experienced aides who value public service and believe in the best of America.
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Trump’s campaign responded with a statement from spokesman Steven Cheung, who told Fox News Digital, “The Democrat machine is in full freak-out mode because President Trump delivered the greatest debate performance in history while Joe Biden completely embarrassed himself in front of the country and the rest of the world.”
The debate, widely described as disastrous for Biden, has led to calls from other news organizations like The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) and the New York Times for Biden to withdraw from the race. The AJC editorial board criticized Biden for failing to outline the fundamental aspects of his platform, take credit for his accomplishments, and counter Trump’s falsehoods. “He failed to outline the most fundamental aspects of his platform,” they wrote. “He failed to take credit for the accomplishments of his 3 and a half years in office. And he failed to counter the prevarications of an opponent, who, according to CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale, lied 30 times during the course of the debate, approximately once every 90 seconds of his allotted time.”
The New York Times was equally critical, calling Biden’s candidacy a “reckless gamble.” Their editorial stated, “The president appeared on Thursday night as the shadow of a great public servant. He struggled to explain what he would accomplish in a second term. He struggled to respond to Mr. Trump’s provocations. He struggled to hold Mr. Trump accountable for his lies, his failures and his chilling plans. More than once, he struggled to make it to the end of a sentence.” They concluded that the greatest public service Biden could now perform would be to announce he would not run for re-election.
This growing chorus of criticism from major newspapers highlights concerns about both candidates’ abilities to lead effectively. While Trump faces accusations of dishonesty and inflammatory rhetoric, Biden’s cognitive abilities and debate performance are under scrutiny. The upcoming debates and campaign trail developments will likely further shape public perception and influence the future of the 2024 presidential race.
