Hollywood reacts to Biden and Trump debate: ‘This can’t be our only choice of candidates’

Hollywood stars are sounding off on the first general election presidential debate of 2024 between President Biden and former President Trump.

“Fear and grievance, ad infinitum,” Bette Midler, a prominent Democratic supporter, said of Trump on social media, as the 45th president faced off against the current commander in chief at CNN’s debate in Atlanta on Thursday.

“Every word out of his mouth is a lie. Every single word,” the “Beaches” actor said.

Biden, Midler said, “answered the questions, Trump never did. He feinted, he wove, he dodged, he lied.”

“Biden, his voice weakened by a cold, answered the questions, softly, but still. I leaned in and heard him fine,” the Academy Award-nominated performer said.

Comedian Jamie Kennedy joined a chorus of critics of Biden’s debate performance, knocking his sometimes-uneven delivery.

“Guy is running for his 2nd term, has no idea he is in his first,” Kennedy said, posting a photo of a Biden with a bewildered expression. Kennedy, who said he’s a registered independent, later said that he felt “bad” for the president: “He ain’t there man. And anyone who is on his team and saying he is are and pushing him to run are complete liars and morally corrupted people.”

Michael Ian Black, of “Wet Hot American Summer,” put it plainly, writing on social platform X, “I don’t see how Biden survives this. If he stays in, he looks like the a‑‑hole.”

“Fair to say this was the worst debate performance of a sitting president in United States history?” Black said.

Reality TV star and Olympian Caitlyn Jenner, a Trump supporter, called Biden a “total and complete failure and clearly in major mental decline.”

“Vote accordingly!” Jenner said.

Some celebrity Biden backers took swipes at CNN’s moderators, Jake Tapper and Dana Bash.

“None of us can believe the s‑‑‑ coming out of Trump’s mouth,” Sophia Bush said. “And I’d wager none of us can fathom why none of the moderators are fact checking Trump’s stream of lies?” the former “One Tree Hill” star added.

“What is wrong with these two moderators who let Trump change the subject?” asked Barbra Streisand, one of the Democratic Party’s most high-profile fundraisers. “They ask him a question, but then let him go on a rampage about something else. Not fair!” she told her more than 800,000 followers on X.

Actor Mark Hamill, another reliable Democratic supporter, said “one off night doesn’t change the fact” that Biden “is the most legislatively successful” president in our lifetime.

“One off night also doesn’t change the fact that the former guy is a convicted felon, serial liar & adjudicated rapist who is unfit for ANY office. Period,” Hamill posted on X.

Rapper Ja Rule expressed dissatisfaction with both Biden and Trump.

“This can’t be our only choice of candidates,” the music star wrote on ITK, adding, “WTF.”

—Updated June 28 at 12:11 a.m.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.