President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump brought in millions in fundraising dollars in the hours surrounding the first presidential debate, reported The Hill.
The Biden campaign said it raised $14 million on Thursday and Friday morning, collectively, while the Trump campaign said it raised $8 million on debate day.
The hour that followed the debate marked Biden's best grassroots fundraising hour since he launched his bid for reelection, according to a Biden-Harris campaign official.
Biden's delivery in the first presidential debate between him and Trump fueled concerns from members of his own party that at age 81, he's not up for the task of leading the country for another four years.
University of Michigan presidential debate expert Aaron Kall called Biden's performance "probably the worst performance of a candidate — certainly an incumbent candidate — ever."
Democrat lawmakers on Friday acknowledged Biden's poor showing but tried to stop talk of replacing him as their standard bearer, and instead tried to shift the focus onto Trump's attacks and falsehoods that they hoped would remind voters of the daily turbulence of his presidency.
Trump declared victory in the wake of the debate, with his campaign messages blaring "It's So Joe-Over" and "Crooked Joe Biden's Horrible, Humiliating Night.”
In a second memo about the debate, the campaign declared that the American people "witnessed a split screen for the ages — a strong, focused, and powerful performance from President Donald J. Trump and an incoherent, humiliating, and embarrassing display of Crooked Joe Biden's weakness and decline.”
Information from The Associated Press was used in this story.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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