Biden debate performance was "tough to watch," Gov. Healey says

BOSTON - Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said President Biden was "tough to watch" in Thursday night's debate, while also slamming former President Donald Trump's rhetoric.

Biden struggled and stumbled early in the debate with a hoarse voice and appeared to lose his train of thought when answering a question about taxes.

"Joe Biden had a bad debate performance," Healey told reporters on Friday. "It was tough to watch."

"The stakes couldn't be higher"

The Massachusetts Democrat then pivoted to calling out lies and misstatements from Trump .

"I also saw Donald Trump stand up there and lie. I saw him brag about overturning Roe once again and taking away health care for women," she said. "It's more of the same from Donald Trump, and we know the stakes couldn't be higher."

Healey walked away as reporters attempted to ask her if Biden should still be the Democratic nominee.

Healey a strong supporter of Biden

The governor is a strong supporter of Biden and has appeared with him at fundraisers. The president gave her a shoutout in May at a campaign event in Boston.

"I want to thank her," Biden said . "She's doing a hell of a job."

The day after the debate, Biden acknowledged the criticisms of his performance during a rally in North Carolina, saying "when you get knocked down, you get back up."

"I know I'm not a young man, to state the obvious," Biden said. "I don't walk as easy as I used, I don't speak as smoothly as I used to, I don't debate as well as I used to. But I know what I do know. I know how to tell the truth."

MassGOP on Trump's performance

Massachusetts Republican Party spokesperson Logan Trupiano says former President Trump had a cohesive message and was much more reserved than previous debates.

"He needs to maintain that cohesive clear message and be professional moving forward," Trupiano said. "I think he did a great job with that and just focusing on the issues. Listen, America is struggling with the worst immigration crisis in American history, we have inflation that is skyrocketing."

Trupiano acknowledged Trump's legal issues. "It certainly makes things more difficult for him. Look, he has to spend a lot more time in courtrooms," Trupiano said. "However, I think his supporters can see past it."