ST. CROIX — Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett recently spoke candidly about President Joe Biden, suggesting the fellow Democrat might have dyslexia that gives him trouble when reading speeches versus his sharp wit when naturally talking.
Plaskett discussed last month’s debate between Biden and former President Donald Trump, financial contributions to the Biden/Harris team, and how race is a barrier Vice President Kamala Harris would have to overcome to win the Democratic Party’s nomination if it doesn’t go to Biden.
While speaking on “Analyze This with Neville James” Thursday, Plaskett described Biden’s performance during his first presidential debate of the election cycle with Trump on June 27 in Atlanta as “horrific,” clarifying that every incumbent has a “terrible” first debate.
WATCH: Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett speaks on President Biden’s first debate
After speaking with other members of the House of Representatives, Plaskett said their concern was not just that the debate was “horrific,” but that it exposed the president physically. She said they were also concerned that it might happen again.
Plaskett said the Congressional Black Caucus discussed how Biden did during the debate, which was held in a studio without an audience. She said the concern the caucus members raised related to the campaign structure.
“They overprepared him with way too much statistics and didn’t let him be himself,” she said.
The delegate to Congress pointed out how well Biden did the day after the debate while speaking at a rally in Raleigh, North Carolina.
“It was two different people,” she said. “Joe Biden likes people. He likes to be around people. His best performances are in town halls, are in crowds of — rally crowds.”
Biden does better when speaking unscripted, Plaskett said.
“The man has a stutter that he’s had his entire life that he’s tried to overcome, and when he gets to reading material, that then brings the stutter back,” she said. “I believe maybe he even has some dyslexia or something with when he’s looking at things and how he’s reading them.”
Plaskett pointed out the president’s high level of intelligence when he is naturally talking. She said she was on Air Force One with Biden last month, noting the amount of specificity he gave in terms of policy and numbers while discussing different things he is doing or has done.
“It’s a completely different person,” she said.
Focusing on Biden’s ability to win the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination, Plaskett acknowledged that race plays a part in the process as it relates to whether Harris would receive the nomination if it doesn’t go to Biden. Harris is the first Black/Asian-American woman to serve as vice president.
Under the regulations and law of the Federal Election Commission, Plaskett said funds the Biden/Harris campaign has raised cannot go to any other candidate. She said the money has been dedicated to infrastructure, salaries, and software.
“All of those things that are in place have to be spent with the Biden/Harris money,” she said. “So, if you want to keep the money, you have to have Harris.”
Plaskett said after a senior member of Congress who is a white woman told her that Harris could receive the support she needs, that she told the woman she didn’t believe her.
“I could potentially believe, but Black people do not trust particularly white women in this because you guys wouldn’t even support your own candidate, and we don’t believe that you will let the first female president be a Black woman,” she said.
Although Hillary Clinton won the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016 to become the first woman in the United States to lead the presidential ticket of a major political party, she lost the general election to Trump. While 54% of all women voted to elect Clinton, white women helped Trump win, according to 2016 election exit polls. In the polls, 52% of white women voted for Trump, while 43% supported Clinton.
Plaskett further discussed the lack of support for Harris.
“The same people who are saying, ‘Biden needs to leave,’ now are the same individuals, I’m not talking about the sentiment, but I can tell you the individuals who were also six months ago saying, ‘Harris needs to leave because she’s a drag on the ticket,’” she said.
