June 30, 2024

Democrats are playing the blame game in the aftermath of Joe Biden’s dismal debate.

Top party members aren’t denying the president had a bad night. But they’re increasingly pointing to other factors beyond Biden’s age or cognitive abilities to argue the president isn’t to fault for his debate debacle — including that he was over-prepared, that CNN moderators didn’t adequately fact-check Donald Trump and that his most senior aides and advisers are responsible for his weak showing.

“I’ve been around these things. I’ve been a part of debate preparation before, and I know when I see what I call preparation overload,” Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) told host Dana Bash on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday. “And that’s exactly what was going on the other night.”

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