President Joe Biden participates in the first presidential debate of the 2024 elections with former President Donald Trump at CNN's studios in Atlanta, June 27, 2024.At a campaign fundraiser in McLean, Virginia, on Tuesday evening, President Joe Biden -- for the first time -- attributed his poor debate performance last week to the amount of foreign travel he did in June, according to notes from a small group of reporters permitted in the event.
"I decided to travel around the world a couple of times," Biden said, referring to recent trips abroad, including his visit to France for theBiden said Tuesday he was sorry for his debate performance but stressed that winning the election was "critical." "It's not an excuse but an explanation,” he continued, adding that the DNC and Biden campaign have raised millions of dollars since debate night.Biden's debate performance last Thursday triggered renewed concern over his age and mental acuity among political observers, including some Democrats who have begun to have discussions about his ability to carry on as their party's nominee.
The president first addressed his poor debate performance at a North Carolina rally the day after the debate."I don't debate as well as I used to, but I know what I do know. I know how to tell the truth," he said to loud cheers from an enthusiastic campaign crowd."I didn't have a great night, but I'm going to be fighting harder," Biden told attendees of the event.