Mike Huckabee suggests media ‘quickly’ turned on Biden after debate

Lauren Irwin

29 June 2024 at 8:31 am·2-min read

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) said the media “quickly” turned on President Biden after his debate performance.

Huckabee joined NewsNation’s “On Balance with Leland Vittert” Friday, where he said it’s hard to say how long Biden’s performance will dominate the news cycle.

“I think the media has to accept some responsibility for the big lie that they have been telling for months now, and that is that Joe is top of his game, sharpest he’s ever been, just absolutely amazing,” Huckabee said.

Huckabee argued that Thursday’s debate performance, which was broadcast live on CNN, “put the media back on their heels,” and it had to admit that the 81-year-old Biden is not as ready to serve another term as previously thought.

Biden’s shaky debate performance caused panic among Democrats and prompted several news organizations to call for Biden to step aside Friday, letting someone else take on former President Trump.

Vittert played a clip of the debate for Huckabee where Biden accused Trump of sleeping with a porn star. The former president became a convicted felon in May, on charges he falsified business documents to cover up hush money payments to an adult film star ahead of the 2016 election.

It was a rare moment where Biden went after Trump on the stage and Trump barely reacted, going against Democrat’s hopes he would have an explosive performance.

Huckabee said Trump’s staff likely didn’t have to tell him to reign it in because “he sat through a trial for seven weeks.”

“He didn’t jump over the table and grab Judge Merchan by the neck, which I’m sure he was tempted to do,” he said. “So, I think it was a good preparation and he realized there was nothing he needed to do to beat Joe Biden other than let Joe talk.”

“He didn’t take Joe’s bait, everyone thought he would. I didn’t and he didn’t,” he concluded.

NewsNation is owned by Nexstar Media Group, which also owns The Hill.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.

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