The Biden family and staff members are casting blame on CNN for Joe Biden’s poor performance in his debate with President Trump in Atlanta last Thursday, according to reports. Biden appeared frail, dazed, confused and had trouble speaking lucidly and completing thoughts while allegedly suffering from a cold, but CNN is being attacked for making Biden look “pale and pallid.”
Biden had set the terms of the debate, with little pushback from Trump who had been demanding a debate with Biden “anytime, any place.” Biden had CNN host the debate in late June rather than in the traditional fall campaign season, demanded no audience and a mute button for Trump. Trump showed up and Biden got humiliated on national television in a debate that was meant to reset the presidential campaign in Biden’s favor but ended up imploding it.
As the shock of Biden’s poor performance settled in, recriminations started to appear in the press with several members of Biden’s senior staff being blamed for over prepping him during his week-long retreat at Camp David while CNN also came in for heavy criticism for its conduct of the debate.
Most interestingly, CNN is being blamed for making Biden, who reportedly showed up with a ‘summer tan’, look pale on camera from the make up applied by the network’s staff.
The New York Times and Politico reported on the attacks on CNN.
Members of Mr. Biden’s family were likewise said to be focused on the president’s staff, including Ms. Dunn, a White House senior adviser, and her husband, Mr. Bauer, the president’s personal attorney, who played Mr. Trump during debate rehearsals.
They were asking why Mr. Klain, the former White House chief of staff who ran the preparations, would in their view allow him to be overloaded with statistics, and they were angry that Mr. Biden, who arrived for the debate in Atlanta with a summer tan, was made up to look pale and pallid, said one of the people, who has been in touch with several members of the family.
Additionally, Biden’s campaign staff only grew angrier at CNN as to how the debate was run, according to several people familiar with the conversations. Their complaints were lengthy, including that the moderators should have fact-checked Trump more often, that Biden was not told which camera he’d be on when not speaking and that the makeup staff made him appear too pale, according to the three people. Biden did, however, agree to the terms of the debate before it was held.
A post complaining about CNN’s visual treatment of Biden went viral after the debate with nearly six million views on X Twitter. The post was by Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a former advisor to Melania Trump who betrayed her confidence by releasing recordings of conversations and publishing a book.
NO ONE HAD TO SAY A WORD.
CNN’s carefully considered FRAMING & LIGHTING design effectively conveyed the intended perceptions of fragility vs. dominance in visual composition.
Biden was filmed in profile, looking pale as a ghost.
Trump was filmed straight on, not looking his… pic.twitter.com/MpVAQO4kkS
— Stephanie Winston Wolkoff (@SWinstonWolkoff) June 28, 2024
Body language expert Joe Navarro wrote an analysis of the candidates’ appearances in Politico, contrasting Trump’s tan, healthy appearance with that of Biden (excerpt):
Trump’s Tan Made Biden Look Pale
The first thing I noticed about Trump was his tan. You might think that sounds superficial, but appearances can make a big difference. Just think of how disheveled Richard Nixon looked — with his 5 o’clock shadow, lack of makeup and pale complexion — next to a young, tanned, make-up-wearing senator named John F. Kennedy in the first televised debate in 1960.
In a similar way, Biden looked white as a sheet next to a sun-kissed Trump. Humans naturally intuit health, vitality and energy in a tanned face. It was another indicator that Biden appeared somewhat frail.
What Can I Even Say About Biden’s Body Language?
I have watched Biden since the early ’90s, and this is the most stoic I have ever seen him. He was still as a statue at times, especially in the first 40 minutes or so. His lack of movement was especially striking next to Trump, who drew the viewer’s eye with dynamic hand motions and aggressive finger pointing that emphasized his arguments, making him appear much more energetic.
I often say that body language speaks volumes, but Biden’s volume was full of blank pages. Sure, it might be because he wanted to be respectful and listen intently. But it could also be because, as we age, our gestures become more economical. Biden’s nonverbal communication did nothing to counter the narrative that his age is catching up to him.
Reports state the Biden family, led by Hunter, does not want Joe to drop out.
Next debate, they might want to hire a funeral director to do Joe’s make-up. They know how to make stiffs look lively.
