Top contributors to President Joe Biden's re-election bid are inquiring about having their campaign donations refunded after the 81-year-old chief executive delivered a meandering and tottering performance at his first 2024 election debate with Donald Trump last week.

During the 90-minute session at CNN's studios in Atlanta last week, Biden had trouble forming coherent answers to questions at times and on several occasions lost his train of thought. In doing so, he realized the worst fears of allies and supporters who have, until now, pushed back on allegations that the oldest man to ever serve as president is simply too old to serve another four-year term.

Biden campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez told donors in a private campaign call over the weekend that over $33 million had been raised in the days since the debate, with hundreds of new applications from potential volunteers coming in as well.