Even US Liberal Media Call It a "Trump Victory"... 'Trump Meme' Stocks Surge

"Biden Appears Frail, Trump Maintains Composure"
Major Media Declare Trump the Overwhelming Winner in First Debate
Some Democrats Call for Biden to Step Aside
Chinese Stock Surges on Name That Sounds Like "Trump Wins"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

"Biden appeared unstable, while Trump generally maintained his composure well." (The Wall Street Journal, WSJ)

On the 27th (local time), major international media outlets described the first televised presidential debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump-which drew global attention-as an overwhelming victory for Trump. On the same day, meme stocks associated with Trump also surged sharply.

This election has highlighted the age-related risks of both candidates, with President Biden being 81 and former President Trump 78. Bloomberg reported that concerns over President Biden’s health have intensified. During the 90-minute debate, Biden frequently stumbled over his words with a hoarse, raspy voice, and at times failed to finish his statements before passing on his turn. The WSJ noted, "When President Biden began to discuss health policy, he started to stutter, and by the time he finished his answer, he appeared to lose focus."

Even media outlets with pro-Democratic leanings delivered harsh assessments of President Biden. The New York Times (NYT) wrote, "With four months left until the election, President Biden has fueled doubts about whether he is capable of running a vigorous and competitive campaign." Citing Democratic strategists, the NYT added, "Calls for Biden to step aside will only grow louder." The Washington Post (WP) reported, "While explaining his plan to tax the wealthy, President Biden appeared to confuse billionaires, millionaires, and millions with billions," and said that this immediately alarmed Democrats already concerned about his age.

In contrast, former President Trump appeared somewhat more serious compared to the debate four years ago. Unlike the previous debate, where he repeatedly interrupted Biden and lost points for excessive interjections, this time he dominated the atmosphere with a calm, logical, and forceful voice. The NYT observed, "Even as Trump made a series of false statements, he navigated the debate smoothly without much difficulty." Bloomberg reported, "Trump, who has been slightly ahead of Biden in recent polls, now appears to be the leading candidate to secure a second term."

Following the first presidential debate, there have been mounting calls within the Democratic Party to replace their candidate. Andrew Yang, who ran in the 2020 Democratic primaries, posted the hashtag #swapJoeout (swap Joe Biden out) on social media. Van Jones, who served as a White House advisor during the Barack Obama administration, told CNN, "Many people will hope that he (Biden) chooses another path." Mike Murphy, a Republican known for his anti-Trump stance, said, "I plan to vote for President Biden, but after watching this debate, it’s a disaster."

On the 28th, "Trump meme stocks" surged by 10% during trading hours. A notable example is WiseSoft, a software company listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in China. This company has no direct connection to former President Trump, but its Chinese name, Chuan Da Zhi Sheng, is said to sound like "Trump wins big." Back during the 2016 U.S. presidential election, WiseSoft’s stock price also spiked whenever Trump’s chances of winning appeared to increase. This phenomenon has occurred repeatedly.