Newsmax cranked out lots of pro-Trump rhetoric before the first presidential debate, and its coverage of the June 27 debate itself was similarly Trump-leaning:
- Trump, Biden Swap Blows in First Half of CNN Presidential Debate
- Trump Pivots on Lawfare: ‘This Man Is a Criminal; You’re Lucky’
- Biden Challenges Trump to Golf to Pivot on Age Questions
- Trump: Veterans ‘Can’t Stand’ Biden
- Biden Freezes Up, Mumbles Talking About Border
- Trump: Biden a ‘Very Bad, Weak’ Palestinian (wire article)
Jim Thomas’ article on “Early Reactions to the First Biden-Trump Debate” was largely filled with Trump supporters, though all who were quoted criticized President Biden’s shaky performance. The nexxt day, Newsmax largely obsessed over Biden:
- Trump Declares Victory in Wake of Biden ‘Disaster,’ Dems Panic
- Liberal Author Joe Klein: Debate ‘Worse Than Disastrous; It Was Sad’
- Rick Santorum to Newsmax: Debate Changing Voters’ Minds on Biden
- Jon Stewart Lampoons Biden’s ‘Resting 25th Amendment Face’
- CNN: Biden Not Planning to Step Aside
- Mike Johnson: Cabinet Should Consider Removing Biden
- Rep. Burchett to Newsmax: Dems Eye Newsom to Replace Biden
- Obama Urges Voters to Stick With Biden Despite ‘Bad Debate’
- Pollster Luntz: Undecideds Alarmed by Biden at Debate
- Trump: ‘Biden Studied So Hard He Didn’t Know What He Was Doing’
- Buttigieg Backs Biden as Dem Nominee After Rocky Debate
- Lara Trump to Newsmax: Biden on His Own a Dumpster Fire
Newsmax’s columnists contributed their anti-Biden takes as well. Fred Fleitz piled on in his June 28 column:
The results are in on Thursday’s presidential debate. There is bipartisan agreement that President Joe Biden bombed and former President Donald Trump dominated the evening.
Now the mainstream media can’t use the “deep fake” excuse to mislead Americans about what they saw with their own eyes last night.
Biden was incoherent, lost his train of thought and appeared confused.
Americans saw a president showing obvious signs of significant decline in mental acuity.
Our 46th president offered no believable defenses for his record as president.
[…]The debate outcome also may seriously endanger American national security because our enemies saw an extremely weak and distracted president last night who they believe will be succeeded by a much stronger president next January who will reassert American leadership and power.
[…]The mainstream media didn’t vet Biden on domestic and foreign policy issues during the 2020 campaign and have protected him from scrutiny on these issues throughout his presidency.
This charade collapsed last night at the debate.
The end result is that if Joe Biden leaves office next January, he will leave behind a much more dangerous and unstable world for his successor. Biden’s debate debacle is another lesson why U.S. presidential elections matter for American and global security.
Fleitz repeated those talking points in a Newsmax TV appearance the next day.
Newsmax kept up the Biden-bashing on the following two days, June 29 and 30:
- Rep. Davidson to Newsmax: Debate Night ‘Sad Night for America’
- Dick Morris to Newsmax: ‘Biden’s Candidacy Bleeding to Death’
- Oddsmakers Still Bet on Biden as Candidate
- Bolton: Can’t ‘Deny’ Biden in ‘Potentially Fatal Political Trouble’
- N.D. Gov. Burgum: Biden ‘Not Capable of Serving’ as President
- Van Jones: Harris Likely President if Biden Wins
- Pete King to Newsmax: Dem Candidates Will Steer Clear of Biden
- Kucinich to Newsmax: Only Harris Can Replace Biden on Ballots
- Rep. D’Esposito to Newsmax: Debate Showed Biden Not Running Country
By contrast, Newsmax offered almost no critique of Trump’s debate performance.