President Joe Biden has given a stumbling performance in a 90-minute showdown with Donald Trump – the first televised debate of the 2024 presidential election campaign
Democrats are expressing concern at the president’s performance – with party insiders saying his incoherent answers to some questions have triggered panic
However, Vice-President Kamala Harris has defended Biden, saying he had a slow start but finished strongly
Trump had repeatedly attacked Biden on the economy and his foreign policy record, while Biden took aim at his rival’s criminal conviction and alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election
Trump also repeated falsehoods – from abortion, to taxes and the deficit
Early polls after the debate show that most viewers believe it was won by former President Trump