Democrats backed into a corner over Biden's performance

Joe Biden’s campaign was prepared to come out swinging after tonight’s debate against Donald Trump.

Instead, they were backed into a corner. The campaign’s top surrogates wound up pinned at one end of the debate spin room by a mob of reporters on Thursday night, fielding questions about ousting 81-year-old Mr Biden at the top of the ticket and whether tonight's performance fuelled more concerns about his fitness for office.

California Governor Gavin Newsom was asked whether the Democratic Party should replace the president as its candidate. The 56-year-old Democrat responded that he was “old fashioned” and cared more about the “substance and facts” discussed rather than a frenzy over Mr Biden’s energy.

It was not the conversation that Democrats hoped to have after the debate. But Mr Biden’s subdued performance during the 90-minute event, during which he sometimes stumbled through answers and spoke with a cold-induced rasp, sent Democrats into an immediate panic as they were pressed on how his campaign would recover.