The aging President Biden on Tuesday got a boost in a heated debate over his “diminishing faculty” from the two top Democrats in Congress — Rep. Nancy Pelosi, 83 years old and Senator Chuck Schumer, 73 years old.
The pollsters defended the 81-year-old Biden’s mental prowess despite his string of public gaffes and a scathing special counsel report that claimed the Democratic president has “diminished faculties” — all of which are deeply troubling to a majority of voters.
Senate Majority Leader Schumer (D-NY) wholeheartedly rejected the narrative about Biden’s declining cognitive abilities and dismissed the president’s string of highly publicized mistakes.
“I often talk to President Biden. Usually several times a week. His mental acuity is great, no matter what. It’s as good as it gets,” Schumer told reporters.
“He’s good. All the right-wing propaganda whose mental acuity has gone down is wrong,” said the Democratic pol.
The day before, Biden was seen with a confused look on his face, pacing as King Abdullah II of Jordan spoke at the White House.
Chuck Schumer, 73, insists that he works closely with President Biden and believes he is sharp. Rep. AP Senior Californian Nancy Pelosi, here on Capitol Hill earlier this month, has also tried to dismiss concerns about Biden’s age. ZUMAPRESS.com
Last Thursday, special counsel Robert Hur released a scathing report in which he said he declined to bring charges involving Biden’s alleged mishandling of classified documents in part because he believed a jury would not convict “a well-intentioned old man with a failing memory” and ” diminished faculty.”
Hur documented a series of alleged memory loss by Biden during their roughly five-hour interview, including precisely when the president’s older son, Beau, died of brain cancer, adding that the president “doesn’t remember when he was vice president. “
Biden, his ally and attorney Bob Bauer, who was in the room, disputed some of the allegations. They also pointed out that Hur was previously appointed as a Republican representative as US attorney for the district of Maryland.
But in a press conference Thursday afternoon to fend off criticism of his mental acuity, Biden singled out the presidents of Egypt and Mexico during a riff on the war in Israel.
Special counsel Robert Hur, a former Republican US attorney for Maryland, raised questions about the president’s memory. Getty Images
At the White House on Monday, Biden sought to downplay the political heartbeat of his lifetime.
“I know I don’t look like it, but I’ve been there a long time,” Biden joked. “I remember that!”
Polling networks have identified deep voter unease about the president’s age. If he wins a second term this November, he will be 86 years old at his hypothetical conclusion.
Very few Democrats dared to publicly question Biden’s mental acuity, but the issue was on voters’ minds.
In an ABC News/Ipsos poll that dropped Sunday, a surprising 86% of US adults believe Biden is too old for another term.
Rivals such as Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley have questioned him on the question of age and suggested he take an assessment to measure his cognitive abilities.
President Biden appeared confused at one point while with King Abdullah II of Jordan at the White House on Monday. Reuters
The White House has resisted pressure for him to do so.
“The president proves it every day [in] how he operates and how he thinks — by dealing with world leaders, by making difficult decisions on behalf of the American people,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Monday, citing Biden’s physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor.
“That’s the way Dr. O’Connor sees it, and that’s the way I’m going to leave it,” he said.
Biden has two publicly released health briefs from O’Connor, in 2021 and 2023.
His allies have sought to shift the focus to his main rival, former Republican President Donald Trump, 77, who has also suffered a string of mishaps on the campaign trail.
This includes pairing Haley with former House Speaker Pelosi and Biden with former President Barack Obama.
Questions about President Biden’s age have haunted him throughout the 2024 election cycle. Getty Images
Schumer, who just scored a landmark victory with the approval of an additional $95 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, also urged the House to consider the bill when speaking to reporters Tuesday.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) already opposes the comprehensive bill, and Schumer balked when asked if he wanted House Democrats to invoke a parliamentary procedure known as discharge petitions as a solution.
“It is clear that if Speaker Johnson brings this bill to the floor of the House, it will pass with equal bipartisan support,” Schumer said. “I call on Speaker Johnson to stand up and do the right thing.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
