The Democratic Party's presidential hopefuls gathered for a debate in New Hampshire on Monday for a primary debate.

Yet in an awkward move, President Joe Biden made a concession to Donald Trump's own primary strategy by not showing up. 

"It's kind of giving Donald Trump vibes"

That's according to USA Today, which reported that "longshot candidates" Marianne Williamson and Minnesota Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips squared off in front of high school students and the roughly 200 voters who tuned in to watch them.

USA Today noted that although Williamson and Phillips presented "nearly identical platforms," it was Biden's absence that struck some observers most.

Hannah Lowell is a 19-year-old resident of Laconia, and she said the president's decision not to attend reminded her of his predecessor's habit of avoiding debates.

"It's kind of giving Donald Trump vibes because Donald Trump hasn't gone to any of the Republican debates," Lowell was quoted as saying.

Debate could expose Biden's declining mental prowess

The official explanation for Biden's refusal to attend is that Biden chose not to appear on the New Hampshire ballot after Democrats made South Carolina their first primary state.

However, not participating in the debate also precluded the possibility that the president's declining cognitive abilities could lead to an embarrassing moment.

Questions over Biden's mental fitness are not new, and were raised once again this past November by former White House doctor and Texas Republican Rep. Ronny Jackson.

"This man can't do the job. He's proven to us every single day that he can't do the job, but this is going to get worse," Jackson told Fox News, adding, "We cannot afford to have this man in office for the remainder of this term and then [for] another four years after that."

Democrats divided by Biden's stance on Israel

Biden's absence also allowed him to avoid the potential for tough questions about the Middle East, an issue which is dividing the Democratic Party.

Avery Opland is a political science major at Plymouth State University, and she told USA Today, "I understand but I don't approve of his stance on military support for Israel."

"You think he would want to be a humanitarian," Opland remarked before adding that she was not expecting the president to seek another term.

"I felt like there was a consensus among the party that he'd be like a one-term president after Trump and then pass it on to a younger generation," Opland explained.