Biden's Reelection Chances Hinged on First Debate Performance, Warns Former Obama Adviser

Van Jones, a former Obama adviser and CNN commentator, expressed concern that if President Biden "messes up" the upcoming debate with former President Trump, his chances of winning re-election could be compromised.

Former Obama adviser and CNN commentator Van Jones has issued a stark warning to President Biden, stating that his chances of winning re-election could be severely diminished if he performs poorly in the first presidential debate against former President Trump.

"This is the entire election, as far as I'm concerned," Jones declared on CNN. "The entire world will be watching."

Biden's Reelection Chances Hinged on First Debate Performance, Warns Former Obama Adviser

Jones emphasized the importance of Biden delivering a strong debate performance, suggesting that a misstep could have disastrous consequences for his campaign. "If Biden goes out there and messes up, it's game over," he asserted. "If he walks out there and a week later he's lower in the polls, it's panic in the party."

However, Jones also acknowledged the potential benefits of Biden performing well in the debate. "But if he goes in there and he can handle himself against Donald Trump — a runaway train, a locomotive, a raging bull — then this guy deserves another shot to be president, because that is tough," he said.

Biden's Reelection Chances Hinged on First Debate Performance, Warns Former Obama Adviser

Jones's concerns were echoed by some of his CNN colleagues. Legal analyst and former Trump White House counsel Jim Schulz expressed doubts that a single debate could alleviate voters' concerns about Biden's age and mental fitness, citing the prevalence of videos circulating on social media and television.

Schulz argued that "there's just too much out there" to erase those concerns, suggesting that any attempts by Biden to dismiss them would be futile.

Biden's Reelection Chances Hinged on First Debate Performance, Warns Former Obama Adviser

However, Jones maintained that the perception of Biden as weak and frail could actually work to his advantage in the debate. "I do think it's to Biden's advantage because they keep acting like he's going to walk out there and fall asleep or fall over," he said. "So just the fact that he's not going to do that, he is sharp on policy."

The first presidential debate will be hosted by CNN and moderated by anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, both of whom have been critical of Trump. The two campaigns have agreed to mute microphones when it is not their turn to speak during the 90-minute debate.

Biden's debate performance is widely regarded as a crucial moment in his campaign, with the potential to sway voters' opinions and influence the outcome of the election. If he delivers a strong performance and counteracts concerns about his mental fitness, it could boost his chances of re-election. However, a poor performance could have the opposite effect, potentially damaging his campaign and diminishing his chances of victory.