During Tuesday night’s gubernatorial debate in Virginia, between Democratic nominee Terry McAuliffe and GOP nominee Glenn Youngkin, the former governor declined to criticize President Joe Biden’s botched withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan.
Youngkin pointed to an “abject failure of leadership” from the commander-in-chief in the withdrawal from Afghanistan, a move that led to the abandonment of Americans and allies at the hands of the Taliban. McAuliffe had no answer.
"Let’s just start with what we saw happen in Afghanistan. We saw an abject failure of leadership from Joe Biden. He abandoned our military, he abandoned American citizens, he abandoned our allies and he abandoned Afghans who had gone shoulder to shoulder with us trying to make a way forward," Youngkin said on the debate stage on Tuesday. "I think that we in fact have to recognize what failed leadership looks like and the fact that Terry McAuliffe ascribes to all of this."
Joe Biden botched the removal of the United States from Afghanistan, costing U.S soldiers their lives, and left American citizens in the hands of the Taliban.
— The RGA (@GOPGovs) September 28, 2021
What has @TerryMcAuliffe had to say about it?
Nothing. pic.twitter.com/P7SxfDNUxc
Tuesday night's debate was the last before the general election in November. In the final days of the race, Youngkin has begun closing in on McAuliffe. The Republican nominee currently leads among likely voters, and the nonpartisan Cook Political Report recently moved the Virginia gubernatorial race to the "toss up" category.