Former Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bolaji Akinyemi, recently expressed disappointment over President Joe Biden’s performance in the latest United States presidential debate.
During an appearance on Arise Television, Akinyemi lamented Biden’s perceived failure to effectively challenge former President Donald Trump, which he described as a notable loss in the debate.
According to Vanguard, Akinyemi criticized Biden’s performance during the debate, remarking that he appeared overwhelmed and missed crucial opportunities to counter Trump’s arguments effectively.
Reflecting on the optics and delivery of Biden’s responses, Akinyemi noted Biden’s struggle, attributing it in part to his speech pattern developed from efforts to overcome a stammer.
In contrast, Akinyemi scrutinized Trump’s debate strategy, accusing him of evading substantive questions and redirecting discussions towards issues like illegal immigration.
He observed that Trump consistently steered the debate away from potentially damaging topics, which he believed undermined the debate’s integrity.
Akinyemi highlighted Biden’s missed chances to challenge Trump on contentious international relationships, such as those with Vladimir Putin, Chinese leaders, and North Korean officials. He suggested that Biden’s failure to address these points more forcefully contributed to his perceived defeat in the debate.
Addressing public opinion, Akinyemi acknowledged widespread sentiment that Biden had lost the debate, citing post-debate polls that favored Trump by a significant margin. He critiqued the polling results, arguing that Biden’s speech impediment unfairly influenced public perception of his performance.
Regarding Vice President Kamala Harris’s role in the administration, Akinyemi defended her by suggesting that her effectiveness is contingent on the tasks assigned to her by Biden. He noted that any criticism of Harris’s performance should be considered in light of the responsibilities delegated to her.
Hear him: “Biden lost the US presidential debate; I feel sorry for him. While watching it, I totally detested Trump; he had that cynical look on his face. Shakespeare advised against judging a man’s heart by his face, but in Trump’s case, it was possible. Biden looked lost, but the way he speaks is the way he was taught.
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