In an interview with Arise Television, former Minister of Foreign Affairs Bolaji Akinyemi expressed his view that President Joe Biden lost the recent United States presidential debate. Akinyemi shared his concerns about Biden’s performance and expressed sympathy for the President.
Akinyemi remarked on the challenging choice between Biden and former President Donald Trump, stating, “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.”
Commenting on Biden’s speech and appearance, Akinyemi noted, “He is a stammerer, he was taught how to speak, and that affects the way he speaks. The optics of Joe Biden’s looks were terrible; I admit that he looked lost, but the way he speaks is the way he was taught.”
Akinyemi criticized Biden for not effectively challenging Trump, who he said avoided questions and shifted the focus to issues like illegal immigration. He also pointed out Biden’s failure to address Trump’s relationships with figures such as Putin, the Chinese, and North Korean leaders.
Reflecting on public opinion, Akinyemi stated, “I agree with the public that Biden lost that debate.” He also touched on Vice President Kamala Harris’s performance, explaining that it is largely influenced by the assignments she receives from the President. “If she does a lousy job, it’s because she has been given a lousy assignment,” he said.
Akinyemi expressed discontent with the polls, which showed Trump leading with 66% over Biden’s 34%, attributing part of Biden’s performance to his speech impediment. He warned against changing the Democratic candidate at this stage, suggesting it could be damaging and unprecedented. “A third candidate will simply throw the election to Trump,” he cautioned.
Drawing parallels to historical debates, Akinyemi compared Biden’s situation to Nixon in 1960, who struggled with television appearances despite having a strong grasp of the facts. He acknowledged Biden’s achievements, such as salary increases in the United States, but noted that issues like the Middle East could hurt his election chances.
Regarding Biden’s handling of racial issues during the debate, Akinyemi said, “When Biden was asked about blacks, he defended himself all the time as if he was on trial, where it should have actually been Trump.”
Akinyemi concluded with a warning against the Democrats replacing Biden at the convention, fearing it would garner undue sympathy for him. “I don’t want the Democrats to commit suicide; changing Biden may get the old man a lot of sympathy that you don’t treat old people who have done you a favor this way,” he said.
