While national headlines screamed, “Dems freak out over Biden’s debate performance” and “Operation: Replace Biden,” the president’s reviews from Granite State political observers weren’t much better.
“We r f***ed,” texted former New Hampshire gubernatorial candidate Arnie Arnesen, a member of the party’s progressive wing.
Seacoast moderate Democrat Jay Surdokowski said, “Calling it now — Biden is toast.”
And New England College associate professor of politics Nathan Shrader, whose politics are also of the left, described Biden’s performance as “historically dreadful.”
“On Thursday evening, former President Trump added scores of new entries to the list of 30,500 documented lies told during his presidency. Trump had no substance whatsoever, but he was effective in directing the narrative back to his major issues of immigration and the economy while providing an energetic contrast to President Biden.
“Meanwhile, President Biden was historically dreadful,” Shrader added. “Some analysts suggest that Biden won on substance, but that seems questionable given that he was largely incoherent throughout the evening.”
New Hampshire Republicans weren’t any kinder to the chief executive.
“Tonight was effectively the end of the Biden campaign,” said veteran campaign strategist Pat Griffin. “Debates are about optics. President Biden was incoherent and clearly had serious cognitive problems. Unless Democrats can get him out of this race in the next 24 hours, it’s over.
“For Democrats….Panic at the Disco!”
A Republican insider who asked to speak on background said the visuals of Thursday night’s debate will resonate with Granite State voters.
“A picture is worth a thousand words, and tonight Joe Biden showed a national audience time and again that he is physically and mentally fading. The insults and ridiculousness (golf handicap talk?) will be forgotten. But the very visible fumbles and stumbles from Biden, at the start and at the close, will leave a mark. They will reinforce the prevailing belief that he is too old to serve another term. Democratic elites must be panicking right now.”
Longtime Republican turned Biden backer Tom Rath had good news and bad news for the Democrats.
“Best news for Biden is the likelihood that most Americans didn’t see this,” Rath said. “But that campaign is now in a deeper hole after tonight than before.”
David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center (SUPRC), had a less apocalyptic take on the night.
On presentation and visuals, he gave the advantage to Trump. “Biden was noticeably hoarse, and he seemed lost waving to a non-existent crowd coming on stage. At times, Biden’s mumbling was a distraction and reminder of his age,” Paleologos said.
But on debate preparation and focus, he called Biden the winner.
“Trump didn’t answer questions posed and veered off, not able to control himself,” Paleologos said. “Biden’s preparation showed continued focus on answering the specific topic question, whether it was Ukraine, veterans, weaponry in Gaza, NATO, fentanyl, etc.”
Another pollster, Andrew Smith, director of UNH’s Survey Center, called the debate “tough to watch.”
“Biden looked and sounded very old. The brain cramp he had early in the debate will be repeated again and again. Trump’s mistruths and exaggerations were expected and pretty typical,” Smith added. “It will be very hard for Biden’s team to spin his performance.”
But perhaps the loudest comment on Biden’s performance is the total silence from leading Granite State Democrats. No comment on social media from U.S. Sens. Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen, or from U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas. The two candidates for governor, Joyce Craig and Cinde Warmington, are also both silent on the subject.
The only member of the delegation to post a positive comment about Biden’s performance was U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster — who is not seeking reelection.
Paleologos says that, while in the immediate aftermath, the pundits may paint a bleak picture, there’s no way to know until pollsters go out in the field. He says Suffolk University will be out with a post-debate election poll next week.
As for the winner, Paleologos says it may be Robert F. Kennedy Jr. or another third-party candidate. “Voters may simply say ’a pox on both their houses.’”
Smith says that, no matter how poorly Biden did, it could still be a temporary setback.
“It’s still June and this will be forgotten soon.”
