DOYLESTOWN, Pa. (CBS) — The sun shone on Main Street in Doylestown on Friday, but the answers were anything but sunny when CBS News Philadelphia asked voters in Bucks County for their thoughts on Thursday night’s vote. presidential debatethe first face-to-face between President Biden and former President Donald Trump in four years.
“I was desperate, I have to admit,” said Martin Focazio.
“It’s a little scary to see Biden’s mental state and how Trump might be a little over-excited,” said Kile Kittleson of Doylestown.
“Pretty much what I expected to see,” said David Creamer, who was walking his dog, “which was pretty embarrassing.”
The debate of one and a half hours from Atlanta, hosted by CNN, aired on major networks Thursday night. It was filled with personal attacks and both candidates veering off topic.
Some criticized Mr. Biden’s performance after the debate, with him repeatedly losing his bearings or giving long, rambling answers. While Biden supporters say the performance raised some concerns, they are not backing down from their support for the president.
“Yet after last night, I’m still voting for Biden,” Focazio said. “I’m voting for a government, not a person. When I look at the behavior of the Biden administration, I’m more in favor of those outcomes than what happened under the Trump regime.”
“I believe he’s still capable. He’s got great people around him,” Margi Tettemer said. “He may not come across as strong and with it, but I believe he is.”
ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images
Biden supporters criticized Trump during Thursday’s debate for calling out lies.
Fact check from CBS News found that Trump made several false claims on topics from economics to abortion and immigration. Biden was also found to have made at least two false claims about the deaths of American soldiers during his time in office and about Social Security.
But Trump supporters in Doylestown felt Friday that the former president performed far better than his performances on the debate stage four years ago.
“I think he definitely had more control than I’ve seen him in ’16 and ’20,” Doylestown’s Stephen Bilan said. “And I think he’s very aware of that. He can’t polarize and alienate some people like he did.”
“I focus on what his policies were when he was president,” Luke Desiato said. “And I have no reason to think he’ll change the second time.”
So where does Thursday’s debate leave those still in the thick of it?
Benjamin Samakavitz said he is still undecided. While he said he did not watch the debate live on Thursday, he later watched some highlights online and was unconvinced.
“I wish there were better challengers, someone I would be happy to vote for,” Samakavitz said. “Right now, I don’t want to vote for anyone.”
But the undecided Samakavitz is not alone in that wish. Many of the voters CBS News Philadelphia spoke to on Friday, including those who said they support Biden or Trump, are less than enthusiastic about their options.
“I wish there were two different candidates,” said Bilan, who says he supports Trump. “I wish there had been more, like in other years, where there was a debate about who the candidates for president would be.”
“Obviously if there was a younger option, that would be more beneficial for everyone,” Kittleson said.
“I just saw earlier that said America needs to pull the plug and plug it back in and restart. We’re in a very strange situation right now,” said Tettemer, a staunch Biden supporter.
While it remains unlikely, changes could still occur in the 2024 race. There are reports that, after what some perceived as a poor performance, and with the Democratic National Convention still weeks away, Democrats looking to replace Biden at the top of the map. It was an idea that divided voters CBS News Philadelphia spoke to.
“I think the Democrats are pulling Biden out at the last minute and trying to replace someone else,” Bilan said.
“Technically it’s possible,” Focazio said. “I don’t know who they would put there?”
“That’s scary too. With who? Is there enough time?” Tettemer said. “So yeah, we’re at a really crazy crossroads.”
Several high-profile Democrats, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, have rejected calls to remove Biden from the ticket.
