Presidential debate's impact on Biden, Trump

Alarm bells are ringing in the minds of some Democrats following the CNN Presidential Debate.

President Joe Biden's slow responses and raspy voice raised concerns about cognitive decline.

"I really don't know what he said at the end of that sentence. I don't think he knows what he said either," former president Donald Trump responded at one point.

READ MORE: Biden acknowledges debate performance: 'I know how to do this job'

The big question is if the president's performance will be forgotten in a few months or if it will impact swing votes.

FOX 4's Steven Dial talked to SMU political scientist Matthew Wilson about the impact of the debate.

STEVEN DIAL: Will people remember more of how Biden looked so old and, in some people's description, weak? Or will this just be, it's June, and there's still a long way to go to the election?

MATTHEW WILSON: His performance played into all of the Republican talking points about his cognitive decline, about his weakness as a president. I think those were some voter concerns that people were looking to have assuaged in the debate and he just fanned the fires. Things do tend to fade over time, but I think this is going to linger because it played into a conversation that we've been having for a long time. I mean, this weak performance didn't come out of nowhere. It follows on the heels of a whole series, for years, of incidents and concerns and events where Biden's cognitive state was up for questions. So in that sense, it's likely to have an enduring effect. The bigger question right now is what happens with the calls within the Democratic Party to replace Joe Biden on the ticket?

READ MORE: Can Joe Biden be replaced?

DIAL: Is Democrats' reaction of some people asking if Joe Biden going to be on the ticket come convention, is that just more emotional, or is there a real chance that there are power players in the Democratic Party really considering taking Joe Biden off the ballot? Is that realistic?

WILSON: Well, nobody can take Joe Biden off the ballot. Here's the thing people have to remember: Joe Biden has secured enough pledged delegates to get the Democratic nomination. So, removing Joe Biden from the ticket requires Joe Biden's consent. He would have to agree to step aside. Now, pressure could be brought to bear on him to do that. People could say, look, I'm not going to contribute money. I'm not going to campaign for you. I'm going to sit this one out on the sidelines. He could come to the conclusion that he can't win with the very, very tepid level of support he might have within the Democratic Party, but he still has to make that call. He can't be forced aside. He has to decide to step aside. 

DIAL: Did Trump risk anything in that debate? I mean, I know he dodged multiple questions. He didn't answer questions. He gave some inaccurate statements. But that's just Trump being Trump, right?

WILSON: He's done all those things in the past and they're kind of baked into people's reactions to Donald Trump. I mean, he's a familiar figure at this point. People know what they get and they either love it or they hate it. Most people, and I don't think last night was anything unusual. I mean, I think it's kind of par for the course, for good or for ill. So I don't think he did anything himself that was going to materially move the needle one way or the other.

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