Biden failed to wow in the first presidential debate. WA Dems want voters to focus on November

Thursday night's presidential debate was hardly the performance national Democrats were hoping for from President Joe Biden. Though, as NPR's Domenico Montanaro noted, it wasn't exactly the blow-out Republicans wanted for former President Donald Trump either.

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The first presidential debate of the 2024 cycle left many Democrats uneasy, to say the least.

Here in Washington state, party leaders in Washington state focused not on Biden's lackluster performance but rather on the stark ideological contrast between him and Trump.

"Donald Trump showed America, once again, that not only is he a liar and a felon, but that he continues to be a dangerous threat to our very democracy and our fundamental freedoms," Washington Democratic Sen. Patty Murray said in a statement to KUOW. "We have to beat Donald Trump no matter what. Voting for Joe Biden is voting to protect democracy, restore abortion rights, and build a stronger economy that puts working people and middle-class families first."

Murray wasn't the only one who sought to frame Trump as someone who is not to be trusted — on the debate stage or otherwise.

"It’s hard to debate a pathological liar," Washington State Democratic Party Chair Shasti Conrad said in a statement. "Last night we saw two visions for America. One rooted in one man’s ego. And President Biden’s vision for an America that stands up for its allies and stands against authoritarianism throughout the world."

The Washington State Republican Party framed that take as "gaslighting" in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, declaring Trump the "clear winner" of the debate.

State Republican Party Chair Jim Walsh, meanwhile, questioned whether Democrats would — or should — stand behind Biden.

"So, seriously: Do desperate Democrats dump Biden at their National Convention?" Walsh wrote on X.

He also expressed confidence that Republican candidates could take the Washington Congressional District 3 and 6 seats if a lack of enthusiasm for Biden trickles down the ballot, a concern some Democrats have expressed themselves even before Thursday night's debate.

State Attorney General Bob Ferguson connected the debate to his own race to be Washington's next governor, urging voters to "remember that he is Dave Reichert's candidate for president."

"Anti-choice Republican Dave Reichert voted with Donald Trump 92.5% of the time," Ferguson, a Democrat, wrote on X, "and said, 'I love Donald Trump's policies... On policy, we're aligned.'"

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"Dave Reichert will promote and facilitate the Trump agenda," he went on. "I will stand up for democracy, the rule of law, and your fundamental rights."

Asked for his thoughts specifically on the debate, though, Ferguson said he had not yet watched it, as he had a fundraiser in Tukwila on Thursday.

"President Biden has done a good job protecting our democracy and core freedoms," he said in a statement. "I understand that many Biden supporters, after viewing the debate, are saying that he must do a better job communicating the real contrast in this race. Donald Trump is supported by Dave Reichert and will take our country backward on many issues, including reproductive freedom. We cannot let that happen."

Reichert's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the debate from KUOW's reporting partner Jeanie Lindsay with the Northwest News Network. He did air his first television ad during the debate, in which he emphasized his long career in law enforcement.

Rather than focusing on the debate itself, some Washington state Democrats preferred to highlight the contrast between the presidential candidates and their party platforms.

Before the debate, U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Seattle) did exactly that on X: "Trump is threatening our democracy, our freedoms, and our economy, while Biden is standing up for working families and fighting to protect our rights."

U.S. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Renton) also took to X to look beyond the debate to the November General Election — and what the results mean apart from who ultimately sits in the Oval Office.

"Voting for president is about more than just the person" Smith wrote. "It's about appointing justices to protect abortion rights, having a diverse cabinet, strengthening our economy, etc."

Several U.S. Supreme Court rulings seem to have distracted from the debate.

Chief among those decisions was the Friday morning was the Court's ruling that cities can ban people from camping in public places. In a 6-3 decision, the conservative majority overturned lower court rulings that found it cruel to punish people for sleeping outside when shelter space and other alternatives were not available.

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The case was of particular interest across the Pacific Northwest, including cities in Washington and Oregon.

Another decision released on Friday sharply cut back federal regulators' power. And on Thursday, the Supreme Court also released opinions that will allow hospitals in Idaho to provide emergency abortions, for now.

Northwest News Network's Jeanie Lindsay contributed to this report.