The 81-year-old Biden started slowly, discharging a voice that sounded hoarse and dispensing answers that meandered without the vitality necessary to assuage voters’ concerns about his age.

He mistakenly referenced the creation of 15,000 jobs when he meant 15 million. And when he was challenged by Trump on the economy, Biden appeared to lose his train of thought, inexplicably settling on, “We finally beat Medicare.”

It was a gift to Trump.

“He did beat Medicare and he beat it to death,” the former president clapped back.

During an exchange on immigration, Trump went back to the well one more time: “I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence, I don’t think he knows what he said either.”

Biden began to recover in the second half hour, but Trump was strongest in the initial 20 minutes, when most eyeballs are paying attention.

—TRUMP’S WEAKEST ISSUE IS STILL JAN. 6

When the question arrived, Trump at first unfurled the answer that must have made campaign aides Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles smile.

Asked by CNN’s Jake Tapper whether he violated his oath to protect and defend the Constitution as rioters ransacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, Trump nimbly pivoted to his record on taxes and immigration and blamed former Speaker Nancy Pelosi for turning down 10,000 soldiers.

For a moment, it looked like he would refuse to take the bait of defending the actions on that day.

...continued

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