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By Ryan Smith
Senior Pop Culture & Entertainment Reporter
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Jill Biden's reaction to husband President Joe Biden's debate performance against Donald Trump has gone viral on social media, hours after the showdown.
Joe Biden and former President Trump faced off in their first presidential debate in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday, as they sought to win over undecided voters. The two sparred over issues including the economy, the conflict between Israel and Hamas, immigration, and abortion during a debate moderated by CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash.
Following the debate, the Bidens made their way to a gathering at the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta, where the president's performance was praised—despite a number of viewers stating that he sounded hoarse and lacked energy throughout the night. A Biden aide told Newsweek late Thursday night that the president was battling a cold during the debate.
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"Joe, you did such a great job," video footage showed Jill Biden saying to her husband as she stood beside him onstage, prompting cheers from the gathered crowd. "You answered every question, you knew all the facts."
"And let me ask the crowd," the first lady added. "What did Trump do? Lie!"
As of press time, the footage has garnered more than 4 million views on X, formerly Twitter. However, the clip also attracted a flood of derisive comments.
"You answered every question?!? Is she going to throw him sardines from a bucket now?" read one post on the micro-blogging platform.
"She's talking to him like he's a toddler... This is bizarre!" said another.
"Answered every question? That's the bar?" another chimed in. "Look at him look at her. This. Is. Just. Sad."
Both candidates faced high stakes going into the debate. Polls suggest many voters are unhappy with their options ahead of the election, and both Joe Biden, 81, and Trump, 78, have faced concerns about their respective ages. The debate gave them an opportunity to quell such concerns and win over voters who could determine the outcome of the election in key swing states in November.
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While the aftermath of the debate saw some Democrats call for Biden's replacement over his halting performance, Vice President Kamala Harris defended him during a combative interview with CNN anchor Anderson Cooper.
While Harris agreed that Biden had a "slow start," she defended his record as president.
"What we saw tonight was the president making a very clear contrast with Donald Trump on all the issues that matter to the American people. Yes, there was a slow start, but it was a strong finish," Harris said. "What became very clear over the course of the night is that Joe Biden is fighting on behalf of the American people on substance, on policy, on performance."
Cooper pushed back, arguing that Biden's performance was "clearly disappointing" for his supporters. Harris responded that people can disagree about style, but that the election must be about "substance."
Cooper then said that Biden was a "very different person on the stage" in 2020.
"I get the point that you're making about a one-and-a-half-hour debate tonight. I'm talking about three-and-a-half years of performance in work that has been historic," she said.
Harris praised Biden for his work negotiating a bipartisan infrastructure deal and meeting with military and intelligence leaders. She said he convenes with world leaders, "who often ask for his advice."
"I'm not going to spend all night with you talking about the last 90 minutes when I've been watching the last three-and-a-half years of performance," she said.
Despite questions about both presidential candidates' cognitive abilities, Biden and Trump have been given relatively clean bills of health by their respective physicians.
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