Democratic surrogates focus on Biden’s policies in spin room after debate
In the moments after the presidential debate, Democratic surrogates — including U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom — used their time in the spin room to shift focus to the president’s policies rather than his performance.
Even Vice President Kamala Harris called Biden’s debate performance a “slow start,” emphasizing that his debate performance shouldn’t overshadow his record in office.
”What we saw tonight was the president making a very clear contrast,” she told CNN, adding, “people can debate on style points but ultimately this election and who is the president has to be about substance.”
On the spin room floor, Democratic surrogates repeatedly avoided questions from the press about whether they thought Biden should step aside and let someone else run. Instead, they emphasized that policy is the most significant factor distinguishing Biden from Trump.
“I think you all are talking about style,” Warnock said. “The people I’m talking to in the state of Georgia, they’re not focused on style. They’re thinking about their families. They’re thinking about whether or not they can afford childcare so they can get to work.”
About the Author
Maya T. Prabhu covers the Georgia Senate and statewide issues as a government reporter for The AJC. Born in Queens, New York, and raised in northern Virginia, Maya attended Spelman College and then the University of Maryland for a master's degree. She writes about social issues, the criminal justice system and legislative politics.
