Elite Media Panic Over Biden's Debate Performance Misrepresents Voter Concerns

Democratic Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz dismisses concerns about President Biden's debate performance as driven by "elites," arguing that voters are focused on his record and not the media's scrutiny.

Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz has dismissed concerns about President Biden's widely panned debate performance, claiming they are driven by "political elites" and not by the concerns of ordinary voters.

Speaking on CNN, Wasserman Schultz downplayed the significance of the media's focus on Biden's performance, asserting that her constituents are more concerned with his record on the economy and healthcare.

Elite Media Panic Over Biden's Debate Performance Misrepresents Voter Concerns

“My constituents at home, voters across this country, are not going to be focused on what The New York Times or The Atlanta Journal-Constitution talks about. They‘re not focused on what the political elites are hand-wringing about. They‘re focused on making sure that we can have a president like Joe Biden," she stated.

Wasserman Schultz's comments echoed those made by former Obama campaign manager David Plouffe, who cautioned that the Democratic Party should be "honest" about Biden's chances of winning the election without more voters supporting him.

Elite Media Panic Over Biden's Debate Performance Misrepresents Voter Concerns

"Biden is at the lowest point right now, I think, in terms of his campaign, so you've got to think he can grow from here," Plouffe said on MSNBC. "Can Joe Biden overcome that?" he asked. "I think he can. But we should be honest about where we are, which is, without more voters saying, 'actually, I think he’s up for this,' we won't win."

However, a recent CNN poll found that debate watchers overwhelmingly felt that former President Trump had won the debate against Biden, with 67% of respondents favoring Trump and only 33% favoring Biden.

Elite Media Panic Over Biden's Debate Performance Misrepresents Voter Concerns

Despite the negative assessment of Biden's debate performance, Wasserman Schultz maintained that Democratic voters in her district were more focused on his record and wanted the party to move forward.

“When I talked to voters in my district, they want to make sure that we can put our heads down, move forward, and organize and mobilize. That’s what we need to be doing right now," she said. "At the end of the day, we got to stop. We don‘t have time for this hand-wringing," she added.

Elite Media Panic Over Biden's Debate Performance Misrepresents Voter Concerns

Wasserman Schultz's comments reflect a growing divide within the Democratic Party over how to address concerns about Biden's age and fitness for office. While some, like Wasserman Schultz, believe the concerns are overblown, others, like Plouffe, believe the party must acknowledge the issue and address it head-on if it wants to win the election.