Photo/Illutration U.S. President Joe Biden listens as Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during their debate in Atlanta on June 27. (REUTERS)

Televised U.S. presidential debates are truly scary.

Back in 1960, TV cameras famously caught Vice President Richard Nixon wiping sweat from his face in front of his younger rival, John F. Kennedy. That hurt Nixon’s image enough to cost him the election.

I wonder if the June 27 debate will also be remembered in a similar vein.

All too predictably, the Republican candidate Donald Trump kept bragging about how great his administration had been. And he heatedly said of Joe Biden, “What this man has done is absolutely criminal.” Wow, look who’s talking.

But for the Biden campaign, what ensued must have been beyond anticipation.

Looking disgusted and his mouth half open, the president said of Trump, “Everything he does is a lie.” I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Biden had practiced his facial expressions at a mountain retreat while preparing for the debate with his aides.

But his frozen expression only screamed old age. Biden is 81. From a distance, cameras followed him leaving the stage after the debate and going down the steps gingerly, one by one.

Because his age has been discussed over and over as a liability, I assumed that American voters were already aware of what to expect. But I was wrong. They appear to have been thoroughly disappointed by their president’s latest performance.

Biden’s presidential bid may have just stalled as badly as Nixon’s, if not even worse. Reportedly, the Democratic Party has already started thinking of possible alternative candidates.

During the debate, Biden and Trump denounced each other as the “worst president in history.” Which man will American voters ultimately choose? Or will there be another shakeup in the Democratic lineup?

I will be following developments anxiously.

--The Asahi Shimbun, June 29

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

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