Georgia Democrats worry, defend Biden over debate performance in Atlanta – WABE

Time and again, Atlanta has been the scene of some of the most consequential moments in American politics this decade: a surprise victory by President Joe Biden in Georgia in 2020, an attempt by then-President Donald Trump to unseat this result and his indictment here on multiple criminal charges.

Thursday night’s presidential debate, the first of the 2024 election, could be another.

While Biden spokespeople in Georgia have urged voters to focus on content over form, privately, some Georgia Democrats fear that Biden’s halting speech will only confirm what some voters already felt: that the president is too old to serve a second term.

In group discussions and at watch parties, some Georgia Democrats are wondering whether Biden should be replaced on the ticket. Others believe voters are capable of putting aside the president’s flaws if it means keeping Trump out of the White House. “Is it harder after tonight? Yes. Does it change the mission? No,” one Democratic lawmaker said.

But in the chat room after the debate, Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia, a spokesman for the Biden campaign, fielded questions about the president’s performance.

“I would be concerned if the president didn’t have a record to go by, but the fact is this man passed historic legislation,” Warnock told reporters. “The contrast couldn’t be more stark. What concerns me is that a man can stand on stage and lie down for 90 minutes.”

Trump has repeatedly made false allegations. He refused to say he would accept the outcome of the 2024 election, whatever it was. And he has denied responsibility for the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Asked what he would say to voters who believe he broke his oath on January 6 and fear he will do it again: “I don’t think many believe that,” he said. “And let me tell you about January 6. On January 6, we had a big border, nobody crossed, very few. On January 6, we were energy independent. On January 6, we had the lowest taxes in history.”

In saying that Trump had the “morals of an alley cat,” Biden pointed to his predecessor’s felony convictions and litany of criminal cases, including in Georgia. But many Democrats still came away frustrated by Biden’s failure to more forcefully challenge his opponent’s claims.

Although Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp stopped by to chat with reporters hours before the debate, no Georgia Republicans were present to officially represent the Trump campaign. Several Republican vice presidential candidates made their way into the debate room after a debate viewing party hosted by former Georgia Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler.

“If you’re watching this debate, you’re voting for Donald Trump,” Sen. Tim Scott, a Republican from South Carolina, told reporters. “This is one of the biggest contrasts between two politicians that I’ve ever seen in my lifetime. Donald Trump’s dominance was undeniable.”

Biden and Trump have also sparred over abortion rights, including banning abortion after about six weeks in Georgia. Trump claimed credit for overturning Roe v. Wade, but ignored the outcry over the decision.

“What happened is we brought it back to the state level, and the country is now coming together on this issue. That’s a great thing,” Mr. Trump said.

“What you did was a terrible thing,” Biden responded. “We’re in a state where, six weeks in, you don’t even know if you’re pregnant or not, but you can’t go to the doctor and have him decide what your situation is, whether you need help.”

The debate capped a series of political events in Atlanta as campaigns and their supporters worked to set the agenda for the coming months. Biden’s campaign rallied around abortion rights and democracy. Trump’s team focused on election integrity and held events to court black men.

A key question now: Did the debates clarify the choice for Georgia’s swing voters, or did they simply further weaken their motivation to vote for one of two candidates they already disliked?

The candidates then deploy in the South: Biden heads to North Carolina and Trump to Virginia. But if the story is to be believed, it won’t be long before the two men return to Georgia.