Critics Slam NY Times Columnists After Trump’s Debate with Biden

Two New York Times columnists, Jamelle Bouie and Lydia Polgreen, face criticism for their analysis of the Trump-Biden debate after remarks from Jill Biden. During the 2024 debate, Jill Biden, wife of then-President Biden, believed her husband was experiencing a stroke. This raised concerns and ultimately led to his withdrawal from the presidential race. She shared this concern with CBS News, reflecting on the fear she felt watching the event.

Jill Biden’s future book includes claims that she suspected her husband might have been drugged during the debate. Former aides reportedly expressed disbelief and frustration over her public statements about the incident.

“Well, we had a raspy and stumbling President Biden and a deranged and incoherent Donald Trump, who spent two hours unleashing a stream of lies. Is there a winner here? Nah,”

The resurfacing of Bouie and Polgreen’s comments have drawn attention. Bouie deemed the debate a “draw,” pointing out the negative performances of both candidates. Polgreen highlighted Biden’s mistakes on significant issues and criticized Trump’s aggressive behavior, calling it a national embarrassment.

Despite their views, ten other New York Times colleagues named Trump the debate winner. National Review writer Dan McLaughlin and others reacted online. They mocked the notion of a debate draw, especially given Jill Biden’s comments.

A social media post displaying the Times’ debate scoring chart went viral, amplifying the critics’ responses. Ashley Parker from The Atlantic and other commentators joined the conversation with sarcastic remarks about the columnists’ assessment.

Fox News reached out to Bouie and Polgreen for comments on whether they still stand by their debate evaluations. Neither has responded to the inquiries.

Joseph A. Wulfsohn, a media reporter, can be contacted for further story tips via email or Twitter.