Washington DC, United States
A panic has broken out among the Democrats who have become more concerned about the party's political future after United States President Joe Biden's stumbling performance in the US Presidential Election debate - filled with broken lines, stammering and loss of train of thought - against former president Donald Trump.
The debate, which was filled with sharp and brutal exchanges as well as some personal attacks, led to a wave of panic within the Democratic Party as some members asked Biden to step aside.
How did Democrats react to Biden's debate struggles?
It was reported by CNN that there was a "deep, wide, and very aggressive panic" within the Democratic Party, which involved strategists, officials, and fundraisers.
A former Biden administration official said, "Biden looks and sounds terrible. He's incoherent," while another Democratic operative called his performance "horrific."
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One of the Democrats, who worked on campaigns at different levels, said, "We are f***ed."
Democrats wonder if Biden should be replaced
Former president Barack Obama's campaign official David Axelrod, while speaking to CNN, said, "There is a sense of shock at how he came out at the beginning of this debate. How his voice sounded. He seemed a little disoriented. There are going to be discussions about whether he should continue."
Speaking to NBC News, a Democratic lawmaker said, "The best thing I can do to help Joe Biden is to pretend I didn’t get your text."
As the debate came closer to its end, Democrats wondered if the ticket should be led by Biden or someone else.
A veteran operative, speaking to CNN, said, "It's hard to argue that Biden should be our nominee."
In an attempt to reassure Democrats, Vice President Kamala Harris said that Biden had a "slow start" but emphasised his strong finish in the debate.
Watch: Biden vs Trump US Presidential Debate: Biden blames Trump of rewarding the wealthy by cutting tax
Meanwhile, Republicans said that the president is 'unfit for office'.
"Three things are clear: America was and is better under a Trump Administration, Biden is unfit to be in office and the people in his orbit should be ashamed of propping him up, Trump dominated. There can’t possibly be a second debate," said South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, who is among the frontrunners on Trump's VP shortlist.
Meanwhile, Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Whatley said that the debate performance of Trump was "dominant" and that Biden "couldn't even understand the questions."
(With inputs from agencies)