For months before the debate, Biden’s advisers responded angrily to suggestions that Biden was deteriorating, telling critics in private conversations that their concerns were overblown and were playing into Republican critiques.

They must have assumed that if he had at least a serviceable debate - they could drag his half-dead body (with its malfunctioning brain) to the convention and get the nomination.

[Smith, the congressman from Washington,] described the strategy as, “ignore the problem, nothing to see here, and run out the clock.”

This made me laugh...

In a news conference closing out the summit, he referred to his vice president as “Vice President Trump.” Sullivan, the national security adviser, pressed his hand to his face. Secretary of State Antony Blinken flinched.