The Joe Biden at Sunday’s Debate Should Terrify Donald Trump

Published March 16, 2020

The Washington Post

By Henry Olsen

Sunday night’s Democratic debate was billed as the best chance for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) to show he still has standing against former vice president Joe Biden. Instead, viewers were treated to something we have not seen throughout the year-long campaign: a truly masterful performance by Biden.

Biden’s debate performances to date had left a lot to be desired. He often gave rambling answers to simple questions. His energy noticeably faded the longer the debates went on. Combined with his many verbal slips on the campaign trail in recent weeks, this left many wondering if Biden had the acuity and stamina it would take to face Sanders alone.

He did, and then some. From the first minute to the last, Biden literally stood tall. While Sanders noticeably slouched, Biden stood ramrod-straight in a perfectly fitted suit. The body language alone sent a strong message that one candidate was vibrant while the other, though energetic, was elderly.

Most Read

1

EPPC Scholar Meets with Federal Officials to Share Concerns with EEOC’s Guidance on Workplace Harassment

 Rachel N. Morrison
EPPC BRIEFLY
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up to receive EPPC's biweekly e-newsletter of selected publications, news, and events.

Upcoming Event |

The Promise and Peril of Civic Renewal: Richard John Neuhaus, Peter L. Berger, and “To Empower People”

SEARCH

Your support impacts the debate on critical issues of public policy.

Donate today

Related Publications

McCarthy’s debt plan needs an endgame. Here’s what it could look like.

Henry Olsen

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s budget and debt-limit plan is full of good policies, but it is more of an opening offer for…

Articles

The Washington Post / April 24, 2023

This Arizona town captures America’s deepening rural-urban divide

Henry Olsen

Arizona’s rapid transformation from a Republican bastion to a swing state is largely a story about the divergence between suburban…

Articles

The Washington Post / March 23, 2023

Republicans need a counteroffer to Biden’s Medicare fix

Henry Olsen

Olsen describes the tactics the GOP should use against the Biden Administration as a way to get leverage politically.

Articles

The Washington Post / March 8, 2023

The U.S.-Israeli alliance is getting testy. Don’t expect it to improve.

Henry Olsen

Olsen discusses the tense alliance between the U.S. and Israel. The Biden Administration is clashing with right-wing Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Articles

The Washington Post / February 20, 2023