A Dismal Debate for Biden: Gen Z Responds

Thursday night’s debate between former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden left young American voters — primarily those in Gen Z — disappointed in Biden’s performance.

Gen Z, which includes those born in the late 1990s to the early 2010s, is the newest generation of voters. Surveys like the Harvard Youth Poll suggest that Biden is slightly favored by this generation more than Trump; however, Biden holds a slim lead compared to his ratings among Gen Z in 2020. This year, 45 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds would vote for Biden compared to 37 percent who would vote for Trump. In 2020, Biden was up 23 percentage points among this demographic compared to Trump. (READ MORE: The Most Disastrous Debate Performance in U.S. History)

Members of Gen Z were adamant in their disapproval of Biden’s debate performance. Fox & Friends First held a panel in which Gen Z voters were asked their opinions on Trump and Biden’s cognitive abilities.

“I did not think it was a great night for Biden or the Democrats at all …. People I know in the Gen Z community definitely think that age is going to be a problem for Biden,” Ryan Edwards told Fox & Friends First.

Despite Trump’s personal attacks toward Biden, Gen Z voters were not impressed with Biden’s responses. Jahmiel Jackson, a Democratic voter, expressed to Fox & Friends First that Biden “doesn’t realize that he’s the grandfather of the 1994 crime bill, where he called black Americans ‘predators.’”

Gen Z Influencer Outrage

Gen Z primarily uses social media platforms, including TikTok and Instagram, to obtain their news. Influencers took to social media to express their frustrations with the debate’s outcome. James Charles, an influencer known for his beauty and makeup videos on YouTube, showed his thousands of followers his outrage about the debate. (READ MORE: Five Quick Things: Dirty Joe’s Chinese Laundry)

“The worst part is, this is so embarrassing for the Democratic Party, it really is. I’m embarrassed — I am f*****g embarrassed — because nobody should be thinking here that Joe Biden is the right person to be president,” Charles stated.

@jamescharleslolGod bless america ♬ original sound – James Charles

Link Lauren, a campaign adviser to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and influencer known for his political news and commentary, expressed sentiments on TikTok like Charles’ in response to Biden’s lack of presence in the debate. (READ MORE: Democrats Are Publicly Defecting)

“What this debate did show is that everyone around Joe Biden has been lying. They say he’s spry, he’s quick, he’s sharp … but we’re not seeing any of that when he’s out on the stage,” Lauren said.

@itslinklauren Donald Trump and Joe Biden just debated tonight. Joe Biden was an utter calamity. ##donaldtrump##uspolitics##politicstiktok##politicaltiktok##foxnews##cnnnews##rfkjr##debate##presidentialdebate ♬ original sound – Link Lauren