討論会の失態「気の毒に思う」 バイデン氏の生まれ故郷の町

【スクラントン（米国）ＡＦＰ＝時事】米国のジョー・バイデン大統領（８１）がドナルド・トランプ前大統領との大統領選に向けた第１回テレビ討論会で失態を演じたことについて、生まれ故郷の東部ペンシルベニア州スクラントンでは失望と心配の声が多く聞かれた。（写真はペンシルベニア州スクラントンにあるジョー・バイデン大統領の生家）
　「あの討論会に出るべきじゃなかった」と言うのは、バーの前でたばこを吸っていたデニス・フリソンさん（７０）。「大統領としての職務は果たせると思う。単に以前のように鋭くはないだけだ」と話した。
　その一方で、カマラ・ハリス副大統領が代わりを務めることにはあまり期待できないと言う。以前、黒人支援関連の法案に後ろ向きな発言したことがあるためとその理由を説明した。
　だが、フリソンさんもこの町の大多数と同様、ハリス氏以外にバイデン氏の代役を担える民主党候補の名を挙げることはできなかった。
　ショッピングモールの前で有権者登録手続きを呼び掛けていたシルベラ・コサレフさん（２１）は、討論会でのバイデン氏の様子に「もちろん感心しなかった」と言う。
　またバイデン氏については、大統領選を乗り切るまでの「その場しのぎの候補者」だと考えているとし、選挙後に辞任したいなら他の人が引き継げばいいと話した。「カマラが引き継いでも構わない。ただ絶対にトランプだけはだめ」
　トランプ氏を支持する声も多く聞かれた。
　ニューヨーク・クイーンズからスクラントンに移住したというシェリル・クラウターさん（３３）は、討論会でのバイデン氏の対応が「全くよくなかった」と辛辣（しんらつ）な口調で指摘した。
　注目度の非常に高い討論会にもかかわらず、回答が支離滅裂だったり、トランプ氏の誤った情報を受け流したりしたバイデン氏の姿を目の当たりにし、クラウターさんは現大統領の状態について疑問を抱かざるを得なかったと話した。
　木造３階建てのバイデン氏の生家は町の中心部から車ですぐの場所にある。
　きれいに刈りそろえられた前庭には「写真撮影は道路から」と書かれた小さな案内板が立っていたが、隣接する家にバイデン・ハリス陣営支持のポスターは見当たらなかった。
　数軒離れた家に住むジェイミー・ヘイズさん（７３）は、討論会を終えたバイデン氏について気の毒に感じたと話す。
　「具合が良くないように見えたし、登壇すべきじゃなかった。（どちらも良くない）選択肢が二つあって悪い方を選んでしまった。もし欠席したら、有権者に撤退を感じさせただろうから」
　その上で、「ただ、（バイデン氏は）志を同じくした、代役を務められる人材で周りを十分に固めているはず」「カマラ・ハリスのことはよく聞いているし、彼女を支持する」と述べた。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2024/07/04-20:20）

As residents of Joe Biden's hometown Scranton prepared to mark that most American of holidays -- July 4 -- many were also voicing alarm about the US president following his disastrous debate last week against Donald Trump.
I think he should never have done that (debate), said Dennis Frison, 70, a retired food service worker as he smoked a cigarette outside the Pennsylvania coal mining town's buzzing Whiskey Dick's bar on Wednesday.
Scranton has long been the heart of the political mythology around Biden, recalling his hardscrabble upbringing, repaying his affection with an expressway named for him and a life-size cardboard cutout in Hank's Hoagies sandwich store.
But Pennsylvania remains a key battleground in the 2024 election, and national polls are showing warning signs after Biden's faltering performance against White House challenger Trump sparked widespread panic over his ability to finish a second term.
I think he can still do what he needs to do as the president, he's just not as cognizant as he used to be, Frison said of the 81-year-old.
As for the alternatives, Frison said he was wary of Biden being replaced by his vice president, Kamala Harris, because of comments she has previously made about not seeking to pass laws to help Black people.
Like others in the town, however, he could not name anyone other than Harris to step up to replace Scranton Joe at the top of the Democratic ticket.
- 'Placeholder candidate'? -
And the vice president found more support elsewhere -- such as outside the town's Marketplace mall, where Silvera Kosarev, 21, was signing up voters for November's election.
Of course I'm not impressed by Biden... he's just kind of like a placeholder candidate to get over (the election) and then get someone else into office if he wants to step aside, they said.
I'd be fine for Kamala (Harris) if she just stepped in. I'm just absolutely anti-Trump.
Others in the town did support Trump -- and did not mince their words about Biden.
To me it was like he has dementia (or) Alzheimer's, the way he speaks. It's just not good at all, said Sheryl Krauter, 33, who relocated to Scranton from Queens in New York.
When Trump was president, everything was settled a little bit and nobody messed with us. (Now) everything is all over the place, she said as stallholders set up around her on Courthouse Square for Thursday's Independence Day celebrations.
Given Biden's highly-anticipated debate performance, during which he garbled answers and lost his train of thought, allowing Trump to deliver falsehoods and misinformation unchallenged, she questioned Biden's state away from piercing public scrutiny.
A short drive away from the fudge and rice pudding stands is the wooden, three-storey house with a neatly manicured front lawn where Biden grew up.
A small poster invites visitors to photograph the home from the street -- although not one of the neighboring houses displayed a Biden-Harris campaign sign.
A few doors down from Biden's former home, Jamie Hayes said she was embarrassed for Biden after his debate performance.
I felt he didn't feel well, and he probably shouldn't have gone on stage. He probably made the worst of two (choices) -- if he didn't go on, I'm sure they would have felt he was backing down, said the 73-year-old grandmother.
(But) I do believe that he has surrounded himself with enough people who are like-minded that could step in, she said.
I've heard more about Kamala Harris, and so I would support her.