The first presidential debate of the dreaded 2024 election has come and gone in 90 minutes of incomprehensible back-and-forth, and it delivered doomsday vibes far worse than we expected. The evening offered voters a closer look at the two major-party options they have this November: Donald Trump, who spewed un-fact-checked nonsense, and Joe Biden, who coughed his way through rambling answers and told off his opponent for having the “morals of an alleycat.” Most informed viewers weren’t expecting Biden to deliver a knockout performance, but were likely hoping for something a little more … lively. While NBC News reported mid-debate that Biden likely had a cold this week, here’s hoping someone on his team has the wherewithal to give this man two to three Celsiuses before his next public appearance without a teleprompter.
The general consensus from those following along at home was that the debate was a “horrible” representation of American politics (the word was trending on X toward the end of the event). If our political leaders can’t stir up camaraderie among Americans, our disbelief in them — and their mental and moral capacities — sure can, as viewers united in a delusional flurry of memes, tweets, and group-chat messages. Here, we offer you the very best reactions to one of the worst presidential-debate showings in recent memory so that we might all laugh-cry together.
