In a recent CBS News poll, a significant portion of voters questioned whether President Biden should seek reelection following his debate with former President Donald Trump.

According to the June 28-29 survey, just 27% of respondents believed Biden possesses the mental and cognitive acuity necessary for the presidency, a decline from 35% in a poll conducted approximately 20 days earlier. This drop shows the impact of his debate performance on voter perceptions.

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Similarly, the poll revealed that only 28% of respondents felt Biden should run for president, down from 37% in a February survey among registered voters.

Top concerns cited for why Biden should not run included his age (86%), potential decisions in office (71%), his presidential record (66%), and his ability to campaign effectively (59%).

Among Democratic registered voters, 55% believed Biden should continue his campaign, while 45% favored him stepping aside, highlighting a growing divide among Democrats on his suitability as commander-in-chief.

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Before the debate, 48% of registered voters had focused on the presidential race, but this figure rose to 59% afterward, indicating Biden’s performance has shifted the campaign’s spotlight, potentially to his detriment.

The debate performance was so lackluster that even a close ally of Biden felt compelled to speak up in his defense:

Bad debate nights happen. Trust me, I know. But this election is still a choice between someone who has fought for ordinary folks his entire life and someone who only cares about himself. Between someone who tells the truth; who knows right from wrong and will give it to the…

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) June 28, 2024

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