<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/joe-biden" rel="" target="" title="Joe Biden"><span>Joe Biden</span></a><span>'s wife feared he was having a stroke during his disastrous presidential debate with </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/donald-trump" rel="" target="" title="Donald Trump"><span>Donald Trump</span></a><span> in 2024.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Speaking to CBS, </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/jill-biden-first-husband-charged-with-killing-wife/5e57852c-dfd2-4558-aaca-794f6abba899" rel="" target="" title="Jill Biden"><span>Jill Biden</span></a><span> spoke of her fear while watching his performance.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I was frightened, because I had never ever seen Joe like that before or since. Never," she said.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-cognitive-test-montreal-aced-usa-politics-news/beafa9e2-b8dc-44e5-8f9f-07142f2124b6"><strong><span>'Not a test of IQ': Doctor who designed cognitive test addresses Trump's boasts</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"As I watched it, I thought, 'Oh, my God, he's having a stroke.' And it scared me to death."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The former First Lady made the remarks in an interview that is set to air in full later this week.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>During the debate, </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/joe-biden-reacts-to-first-us-presidential-debate-performance-democrats-back-him/7554a947-f102-482b-a057-3fa89a058633" rel="" target="" title="Joe Biden repeatedly lost his train of thought"><span>Joe Biden repeatedly lost his train of thought</span></a><span>, gave confusing or nonsensical answers and was unusually belligerent with Trump when it came to his golfing prowess.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/jill-biden-joe-biden-debate-stroke-donald-trump-presidential-election-2024-usa-news/2e702b78-edd8-4b8d-8595-4ca2d99daf0a" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It triggered calls for </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/presidential-debate-joe-biden-donald-trump-analysis/a91fc4db-0490-4297-9a74-caa2380de211" rel="" target="" title="Biden to drop out of the race"><span>Biden to drop out of the race</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But in the immediate aftermath of the debate, Mrs Biden was publicly supportive.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"You did such a great job, you answered every question," she said at an event with her husband afterwards.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The oldest president in history at the time, Biden was already facing questions about his coherence and vitality.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-says-his-medical-checkup-went-perfectly/8f17097d-7622-4de6-afa5-53ed60e7840d"><strong><span>Trump says he's in 'perfect' health after medical check-up</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The unprecedented withdrawal from a re-election campaign came after he had secured the nomination after a series of largely uncontested primaries.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It was a mistake for the president to stay in the race as long as he did," Democratic Senator Chris Murphy said today.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We would've been better off as a party had he gotten out much sooner."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Former Obama administration staffer Tommy Vietor thought likewise.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I think this is how most voters felt while watching that debate, and why it was obvious that Biden had to drop out of the race," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The impression left by Biden's performance was unfixable, and pretending otherwise was insulting to voters."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/kamala-harris-memoir-extract-joe-biden-reckless-2024-presidential-election/41d3f42e-c0d4-4cf0-9957-159a8213858f" rel="" target="" title="Vice President Kamala Harris"><span>Vice President Kamala Harris</span></a><span>, who was rushed into the nomination without a primary process, has blamed her election loss on her shorter-than-usual campaign.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/ken-paxton-john-cornyn-texas-primary-senate-election-results-james-talarico-us-politics-news/30df77e4-6968-41dd-bdf7-7abe24e83ea3"><strong><span>Trump's handpicked candidate may cost his party their most important state</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS 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