Earlier this week President Biden told attendees at a Dem fundraiser in New York that he blamed a cold and jet lag on his awful debate performance against Donald Trump:

President Joe Biden has blamed his poor debate performance last week on jet lag, telling reporters that he "wasn't very smart" for "travelling around the world a couple of times" before the debate.

"I didn’t listen to my staff... and then I nearly fell asleep on stage,” he said.

Mr Biden, 81, last returned from travel on 15 June, nearly two weeks ahead of the 27 June debate.

That's the White House's story and they're sticking to it.

During today's White House Gaslight-a-Palooza, Biden press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was still clinging to that excuse:

If Biden actually had jet lag 12 days after returning from overseas isn't the defense she thinks it is.

After being pressed, KJP said it was a combination of "jet lag and a cold." 

This is just insane and desperate spin.

And those are the weakest excuses possible. KJP still didn't explain why, if Biden had a cold, he went around a Waffle House after the debate getting close up with many people.