Joe Biden could have sat this campaign out, retired, and been fondly remembered by the American public as Barack Obama’s goofy yet lovable vice president. Instead, he chose to run for president one last time, and as a result guaranteed that he’ll be remembered for his actual record.

Thursday night was a rough one for Biden. It was always going to be, not just because the candidate — who has assiduously avoided unscripted media appearances since announcing his run — has a poor record of success as a campaigner. Biden’s deep-rooted role as a centrist, neoliberal Democrat has saddled him with a long, checkered history for his opponents to pick apart.

And pick apart they did. Thursday’s debate saw several of Biden’s rivals assail him for a record that sits uneasily with the more progressive direction of today’s Democratic Party. And Biden — who entered the night as the clear frontrunner — didn’t do himself any favors by frequently stumbling over his words and even making nonsensical statements.