A recent CBS News poll reveals that over 70 percent of voters question President Joe Biden’s mental fitness to serve a second term following his lackluster debate performance last week. The poll, released on Sunday, indicates a significant rise in these concerns compared to previous surveys.
The findings show that 72 percent of respondents doubt Biden’s health is adequate for the presidency, with only 27 percent expressing confidence in his fitness. This marks an increase from last month’s poll, where 65 percent doubted his health, while 35 percent believed it was sufficient.
Biden’s debate performance has alarmed some Democrats and supporters. During the debate, the president often struggled to articulate his ideas and appeared fatigued. This has led to a growing number of Democratic voters, including some unnamed lawmakers, calling for Biden to step aside and allow another candidate to seek the party’s nomination.
The poll also highlights that only 28 percent of voters believe Biden should pursue a second term, a sharp decline from February’s 37 percent. Among Democrats, just 54 percent support his reelection bid, down from 64 percent in February.
Among those opposing Biden’s run, 86 percent cited his age as the primary concern. Overall, 45 percent of Democrats think Biden should withdraw from the race, while 55 percent believe he should continue his campaign.
The debate analysis further reveals that a minority of respondents felt Biden presented his ideas clearly (21 percent) or inspired confidence (18 percent). In contrast, former President Donald Trump scored higher in these areas, with 47 percent saying he presented his ideas clearly and 44 percent feeling he inspired confidence.
Despite the critical views of Biden’s debate performance, 40 percent of respondents felt he was truthful during the debate, compared to 32 percent who said the same about Trump.
The CBS News/YouGov poll surveyed approximately 1,100 registered voters from June 28 to 29, with a margin of error of about 4.2 percent.
