hello, i'm matthew amroliwala. joe biden is under pressure to reconsider his candidacy for the us presidential election, after a debate performance against donald trump which has been described as disastrous. in the first televised debate of the campaign, president biden struggled to finish sentences and appeared rambling and, at times, incoherent. the appearance had been meant to reassure voters that his age wasn't an issue in the campaign — but instead it underlined concerns and provoked what many are called "panic" in the democratic party. live now to our north america correspondent john sudworth in atlanta. in terms of the new york times, one headline they were running, a stumbling performance and a party in panic. stumbling performance and a party in anic. , , ., , stumbling performance and a party in anic. , , .,, ., panic. yes, well, this was a debate that the democrats _ panic. yes, well, this was a debate that the democrats called - panic. yes, well, this was a debate that the democrats called for - panic. yes, well, this was a debate that the democrats called for and l that the democrats called for and joe biden really had onejob, which was to allay those long smouldering concerns about his age and mental competence, in the end he has only amplified them. in many ways, not a great performance from donald trump, also sometimes rambling in a speech festooned with falsehoods, but in comparisonjoe biden has made mr trump book measured in presidential and it has pushed those concerns and questions aboutjoe biden's cc into the open. my colleague gary o'donoghue looks at what was universally considered a terrible night for mrjoe biden. trump, trump, trump... for the first time in debate history, a former president arriving to debate a current president. cheering. that current president aiming to be the oldest incumbent of the white house in us history. joe biden. four years ago, when these two men met, it ended up in a slanging match. donald trump. but even new rules didn't stop the insults from flying. the only reason i'm here is he's so bad as a president that i'm going to make america great again. my son was not a loser. he was not a sucker. you're the sucker. you're the loser. both men accused the other of trashing the economy, clashing over tax cuts and inflation. he's the only president other than herbert hoover who's lost morejobs than he had when he began. since herbert hoover. the onlyjobs he created are for illegal immigrants and bounce backjobs. the bounce back from the covid. at times, joe biden sounded hoarse and difficult to understand. his aides said he had a cold, but there have been persistent concerns about his concentration and stamina, and this did not dispel those worries. excuse me with, um, dealing with everything we have to do with, uh... look, if... we finally beat medicare. thank you, president biden. abortion and immigration were hotly contested, with donald trump delivering perhaps his strongest line of the night. we are living right now in a rat's nest. they're killing our people in new york, in california, in every state in the union, because we don't have borders anymore. every state is now a border. when both men were asked about their age — joe biden is 81, donald trump 78 — they ended up in a bizarre argument about golf. i told you before, i'm happy to play golf if you carry your own bag. think you can do it? that's the biggest lie, that he's a six handicap, of all. i was an eight handicap. yeah, eight. but you know how many i've... seen your swing. i know your swing. there was little in this debate to change the minds of the committed. both men made well—worn attacks on one another. both men hurled well—worn insults at one another. what will really count is how this lands with the small number of undecided voters in those key swing states that will decide november's election. gary o'donoghue, at the presidential debate in atlanta, for bbc news. the white house has been rallying around presidentjoe biden, kamala harris the vice president saying the thing that matters is the record over the rhetoric, style over substance, being us president is more thanjust about substance, being us president is more than just about record, it is about communication and those questions about his candidacy see in the future is now out in the open, a flavour, david plath said it was a def con moment, andrew young, former democrat presidential candidate himself went on social media sync, guys, it is time to nominate someone else. john sudworth in atlanta. well, this is how the us — has been waking up this morning — and reacting to the debate. president biden faces a backlash from inside his own party after a very shaky debate performance. some house democrats talking about him having to step down. i don't know what hei said at the end of the sentence, i don't think he knew what he said either. _ we can go now to rick wilson, political strategist and co—founder of the lincoln project. you were watching every minute of the debate, when did you first realise it was going horribly wrong forjoe biden? he realise it was going horribly wrong forjoe biden?— forjoe biden? he had a bad night last niaht, forjoe biden? he had a bad night last night. no _ forjoe biden? he had a bad night last night, no doubt, _ forjoe biden? he had a bad night last night, no doubt, evident - forjoe biden? he had a bad night| last night, no doubt, evident early in the process he was not on his letter a game. i did note two things, i am letter a game. i did note two things, iam not letter a game. i did note two things, i am not a letter a game. i did note two things, iam nota panic letter a game. i did note two things, i am not a panic by nature, iam not things, i am not a panic by nature, i am not panicking. i did two things, donald trump is offering nothing new beyond what appeals to his base ready, the mosaic of lies, bizarre assertions. joe biden improved towards the back of the debate but no one will spin it that joe biden had a great night, it is not something is an honest person i will say, that was a+. you cannot do it that way. i will say, that was a+. you cannot do it that way-— it that way. i will come back to the s - in it that way. i will come back to the sin oint it that way. i will come back to the spin point in _ it that way. i will come back to the spin point in a _ it that way. i will come back to the spin point in a moment— it that way. i will come back to the spin point in a moment but- it that way. i will come back to the spin point in a moment but you . it that way. i will come back to the l spin point in a moment but you said you are not panicking, you will know there are many democrats, some senior democrats, that are panicking. senior democrats, that are panicking-— senior democrats, that are ”anickin, ., , , , , panicking. that is my superpower, i am an x republican. _ panicking. that is my superpower, i am an x republican. i _ panicking. that is my superpower, i am an x republican. i am _ panicking. that is my superpower, i am an x republican. i am not- panicking. that is my superpower, i am an x republican. i am not a - am an x republican. i am not a democrat. i do not approach this race simply asjoe biden versus donald trump. the lincoln project �*s message, i understand who donald trump is, a felon, fraud, a lawyer, sexual abuse, criminal and a trump is, a felon, fraud, a lawyer, sexualabuse, criminaland a man trump is, a felon, fraud, a lawyer, sexual abuse, criminal and a man who is in the pocket of broad interest. this is not a man who changes character or destiny last night, joe biden had a bad night but donald trump didn't get it transformative moment. triumphalism is a very bad truck to take on politics. bill clinton blew his first debate with george hw bush, my old boss. barack obama blew his first debate with george mccain. george w bush blew his first debate with al gore, i was standing watching him on the sidelines. a bad debate in the situation is worse forjoe biden, i will graduate that, but this idea you have the panic, run around, chase the dragon, get somebody new, it has to focus on who donald trump is and what he will do to this country. at the link it came out project, how do you beat donald trump? mr biden is a candidate who will make their decisions, their campaign... will make their decisions, their campaign- - -— campaign... the difficulty is, desite campaign... the difficulty is, despite the _ campaign... the difficulty is, despite the long _ campaign... the difficulty is, despite the long list - campaign... the difficulty is, despite the long list of - campaign... the difficulty is, despite the long list of the i campaign... the difficulty is, - despite the long list of the things he set about donald trump, where there is so much of that gets drowned out, it was a concern, this age concern aboutjoe biden, even before this debate. this was to dispel all of that and we were talking there about what the vice president has been saying from the white house, in effect saying let's concentrate on the record. it is a difficult strategy, isn't it, to try to convince people they didn't see what they actually saw. i to convince people they didn't see what they actually saw.— what they actually saw. i don't think anybody _ what they actually saw. i don't think anybody is _ what they actually saw. i don't think anybody is trying - what they actually saw. i don't think anybody is trying to - what they actually saw. i don't think anybody is trying to do i what they actually saw. i don't i think anybody is trying to do that in any real case. i believejoe biden had a terrible night last night, terrible night, and f minus night, terrible night, and f minus night, a bad night. that does not change who donald trump is. this election is to be a referendum on donald trump, that is the strategic approach we're taking and we believe will be the only successful outcome here. joe biden has had very good nights that everybody is forgetting about right now, of the union two times, speeches at normandy, lots of great speeches, presentations, moments, if you had an all night —— off night, consequential but donald trump is talking about sharks, boat batteries, washing machines, it doesn't sound like he is speaking english. i doesn't sound like he is speaking en . lish. . doesn't sound like he is speaking enalish. ., ., ., , english. i get all of that but let me ask you _ english. i get all of that but let me ask you a _ english. i get all of that but let me ask you a different - english. i get all of that but let| me ask you a different question because i know your project is all about trying to make sure donald trump doesn't return to the white house, but here is the bout, does not make more strategic sense for the democrats, i know you are not one, with changing candidate now, is it too late to the timeline? i one, with changing candidate now, is it too late to the timeline?_ it too late to the timeline? i think it too late to the timeline? i think it is probably _ it too late to the timeline? i think it is probably too _ it too late to the timeline? i think it is probably too late _ it too late to the timeline? i think it is probably too late but - it too late to the timeline? i think it is probably too late but again i it too late to the timeline? i think it is probably too late but again it| it is probably too late but again it is not my decision, i am not in the democratic party or apparatus, the only person who will decide to leave this race isjoe biden himself. if joe biden says for the good of the country i will leave this race, then we will see how it plays out. there will be a very difficult process, we have never had to have this sort of process this late in the game in the us. and i do think that there are a number of democratic candidates out there, i will not speculate on who they are, what they would do because most of them are sticking withjoe biden for now. and, look, 130 days in donald trump time is like a decade in normal political time, he will do things that will blow himself up, screw up, say the most bizarre things. just as he did in 2020, groups like ours will find ways to make the race a referendum of america or trump. this is a race where donald trump is running against the american system, running against the american system, running against american values, the constitution, the republic. this is a guy who represent such an existential danger to the future of america and the world that we have to work around whatever prodrome banishment problem joe biden had on the night and beat trump regardless. he had a candidate that couldn't shine a light on all the serious things, talking about workarounds of your own us president. ted cruz republican said really interesting thing in terms of on a podcast, he predicted it would be a nightmare scenario for the republicans if we got to a point wherejoe biden was considered too old, the 0bamas who have sway with him take him aside and convince them of that and replace him with a candidate that could beat donald trump. is there something in that that the 0bamas have this way to say to joe something in that that the 0bamas have this way to say tojoe biden, it is time to think again. perhaps there is a better other candidate out there? i there is a better other candidate out there? .. ., there is a better other candidate out there?— there is a better other candidate out there? ., , , ., ~ ., out there? i cannot speak to their ersonal out there? i cannot speak to their personal relationship _ out there? i cannot speak to their personal relationship and - out there? i cannot speak to their personal relationship and i - out there? i cannot speak to their personal relationship and i know. personal relationship and i know they remain closed but i cannot speak to what the council of the 0bamas would be to the president, if it shifts to another candid we will end up in a situationjust it shifts to another candid we will end up in a situation just as it shifts to another candid we will end up in a situationjust as i told you month ago, it will be a choice, a referendum on donald trump, america or trump. you could pick almost anyone in the country and still run the america or trump campaign against donald trump because his behaviour, his record, his criminality is so pernicious that the panic of one nights should not dominate the idea that donald trump can be beaten, he can still be beauty, triumphalism and politics as i said is a very bad truck to take we will have to leave it there, rick, thank you. the prime minister rishi sunak has condemned a racist term used about him by a reform uk campaigner, saying: "it hurts and it makes me angry". it follows comments caught on camera by a team from channel 4 news, in which the campaigner uses a racist term to describe mr sunak, and suggests that migrants crossing the channel should be used for target practice. that party worker, has since said, his comments were personal — and not representative of the party. the reform uk leader, nigel farage, has distanced himself from the remarks. 0ur political correspondent iain watson has the story — we should warn you, his report contains language — which some might find offensive. under scrutiny from an undercover reporter, a racist term used to describe the prime minister, and views on what the amish are due to illegal immigrants. the campaigner andrew parker said they hadn't told nigel farage about his views and apologised if he brought the party into disrepute but, hang on, channel 4 also heard the views of another campaigner, this time on gay people and the rainbow flag. now, it should be stressed that these are campaigners, not candidates. they are self—selecting volunteers although the second one you heard from is well known to nigel farage. he has of course had problems with the actual candidates too but blamed that on the vetting company employed for not doing theirjob. the other party leaders say that nigel farage himself should take responsibility for those who support him. my two daughters have to see and hear reform people who campaign for nigel farage calling me an bleep. it hurts, it makes me angry. i don't repeat those words lightly, i do so deliberately because this is too important not to call out clearly for what it is. you have to ask the question why so many people who are supporting reform seem to be exposed in this particular way. it's for a leader to change his or her party to make sure the culture is right and the standards are understood by everybody within the party. nigel farage says those campaigners in clacton are no longer on his campaign. perhaps one of the reasons the odd person like this gravitates - towards us it's because ironically the bnp don't exist any more. i when we find out who they are, we get rid of them and on. - we get rid of them, end of. nigel farage tends to subscribe to the adage there is no such thing as bad publicity but in this campaign that theory is being tested almost to destruction. iain watson, bbc news. you can see a full list of all the candidates standing in the clacton constituency, and it's also on the bbc news website. the leader of reform, nigel farage, has since claims channel 4 used an actor in their programme. the broadcaster has denied this, saying: "we met mr parker "for the first time at reform uk party headquarters, where "he was a reform party canvasser." so, with less than a week to go, before the election, where do things stand with the polls? this is the latest bbc polltracker. as you can see labour retains a substantial 20—point lead over the conservatives. reform uk are third on 16% — with the liberal democrats on 12. ipsos is a market research company, who've spent the election recording political trends and conducting opinion polls — we can speak to holly day, their research manager. welcome to the programme, holy, i was talking to one of your colleagues at ipsos a couple of days ago, reporting one of your post and saying the tories were down four, reform up six, where are we now? that is where we still are, the headline for the campaign as a whole, the top—level margin hasn't changed, labour consistently having a 20 point or there about leed, 23 points recently. the interesting thing has been the movement beneath the surface, some of the smaller parties, given the news you have reported on prior to the piece, reform at 15 before these events happen, remains to be seen the impact of recent events. the liberal democrats are on 11%, the greens on seven, smaller parties gaining where the bigger parties are losing out, that margin on the top level has remained consistent throughout the campaign. remained consistent throughout the cam aiun. . , , campaign. that is interesting, if ou campaign. that is interesting, if you would _ campaign. that is interesting, if you would you _ campaign. that is interesting, if you would you say _ campaign. that is interesting, if you would you say about - campaign. that is interesting, if you would you say about your i campaign. that is interesting, if - you would you say about your recent polling not taking on board everything surrounding reform uk, the canvasser. rishi sunak has been accused by some of the not quite knowing how to cope with reform and not going directly at them. we saw him go directly for nigel farage today because, am i right in saying that broadly, i know we are talking broadly, up to now the majority of votes shifting our shifting from conservative can the reform? the 29 conservative — conservative can the reform? the 29 conservative votes _ conservative can the reform? the 29 conservative votes are _ conservative can the reform? the 29| conservative votes are predominantly being lost to reform uk, gaining six points in the latest poll, the conservatives dropped four. t