President Biden blames overseas travel for disastrous debate: 'I nearly fell asleep on stage'

Oh course that’s going to be the lede. I’m not faulting McPaper, he said it. But it was received by his audience as a joke and appears to have been a deliberate exaggeration to get a laugh. It does seem an “excuse” to blame the debate on his travel, but most readers have traveled overseas, even across time zones in the States. You DO get jet-lagged, it is disorienting, your schedule is thrown off, a week to adjust is not unheard of, and the 81-year old president flew to Europe twice in “those 23 days”, came back to the U.S. to the immense grief and stress of his only surviving son’s conviction. and then flew across the U.S., and then had a full week of intense debate prep.

He made light of his performance, which is healthy and wise, he absolved his aides of blame, ditto, and he apologized sincerely and winningly. 

He needs to do this in public with voters and frequently. That is what he has not done.

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Tuesday blamed jet lag from his recent travels overseas for his disastrous debate performance last last week, even though he returned to the United States 12 days before taking the stage with former President Donald Trump.

Biden, facing immense pressure from Democrats following his poor debate showing, made the excuse while addressing donors at a campaign fundraiser in McLean, Virginia outside Washington.

"I didn't have my best night," Biden told supporters. "I wasn't very smart. I decided to travel around the world a couple of times, going through I don't how many times zones.

"I didn't listen to my staff. And then I came back and I nearly fell asleep on stage," Biden said, prompting laughs from some of the donors. “It’s not an excuse but an explanation."

Biden then apologized to supporters, saying he was sorry for his June 27 debate performance, but stressed it was “critical” to win the election against Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee.

Biden's remarks could invite even more scrutiny over whether the 81-year-old president is up to the rigorous traveling, packed schedules and other demands of a second term in the White House.

Leading up to the debate, Biden spent six days at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland preparing with White House aides. He arrived there on the night of June 20 and left the morning of June 27 for Atlanta, the site of the debate.

Biden was in Italy from June 12 to 14 to attend the Group of Seven nations summit, returned back to the U.S. early in the morning June 15, and immediately took Air Force One to Los Angeles to attend a glitzy Hollywood fundraiser. Biden returned to the White House on June 16, made a quick stop at his Rehoboth Beach, Delaware home on June 18, and then went on to Camp David.

Biden was in France from June 5 to 9 to celebrate the 80th anniversary of D-day with allies and meet with French President Emmanuel Macron.