CNN political commentator Jamal Simmons has suggested that President Biden practice smiling more during the upcoming presidential debate to counter his "resting old face."
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Biden Advised to Smile More to Avoid 'Resting Old Face' in Upcoming Debate
In a recent appearance on CNN's "State of the Union," Simmons, who previously served as a communications director for Vice President Harris, offered advice to President Biden ahead of the June 27 debate against former President Donald Trump.
According to Simmons, Biden's facial expression often conveys an impression of "resting old face," which he believes can be detrimental to the president's image and effectiveness during the debate.
Biden Advised to Smile More to Avoid 'Resting Old Face' in Upcoming Debate
"For President Biden, one more piece of advice, because this is still a physical, visual medium, he's kind of got resting old face, right? So he needs to smile and when he smiles, it goes away a little bit. When he smiles, his face comes to life. I would just say, they're practicing this, practice smiling," Simmons said.
Other panelists on the show, including political commentator Bakari Sellers, agreed with Simmons' assessment, stating that Biden's "restless old face" is "kind of captive in age" and makes it difficult for him to articulate a vision for the future.
Biden Advised to Smile More to Avoid 'Resting Old Face' in Upcoming Debate
Simmons also criticized Biden for not adequately addressing his plans for a second term, saying, "I can't tell you exactly which policy to finish the agenda that they are really kind of basing this on."
However, former adviser to Donald Trump, David Urban, took a different approach, suggesting that Trump should simply let Biden talk and avoid overstepping his boundaries.
"I think if former President Trump were smart, he would just say to the crowd, ‘are you better off now than you were four years ago’ and then just let Joe Biden talk. Just let him talk. Don't try to overstep. Let him try to make his case, because he has a record to defend, of four years. So if I was Trump, that's what I'd do here," Urban said.
Political commentator Alyssa Farah Griffin raised concerns about Biden's energy levels during the debate, given the absence of a live audience.
"I do worry for Biden on the energy. He got through the State of the Union, but that was a hometown crowd cheering for him. It's right off of a teleprompter. This is quiet. Nobody is telling you you did a good job. No one is applauding for you and to keep the energy going for 90 minutes. It's a lot," Griffin said.
CNN's Van Jones previously suggested that the debate could be a make-or-break moment for Biden, saying, "Because if Biden goes out there and messes up, it's game over. If he walks out there and a week later he's lower in the polls, it's panic in the party."
The Biden campaign has not yet responded to a request for comment from Fox News Digital regarding Simmons' advice.
