President Biden has said none of his doctors have told him he has a serious medical condition. But his debate performance last month raised questions about his health and acuity.

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President Biden said in an interview released on Wednesday that he would re-evaluate whether to stay in the presidential race if a doctor told him directly that he had a medical condition that made that necessary.

Mr. Biden has said repeatedly that none of his doctors have told him he has a serious medical condition. Dr. Kevin O’Connor, the White House physician, wrote after the president’s physical in February that Mr. Biden is “a healthy, active, robust, 81-year-old male who remains fit to successfully execute the duties of the presidency.”

But his disastrous performance at a debate with former President Donald J. Trump last month, which prompted a wave of calls by Democratic allies to step aside, raised questions about his health and acuity.

    • Senokir@lemmy.world
      391·
      1 month ago

      The difference is that being the nominee and potentially being elected again would entail 4 more years of being the president. It is possible to believe that Biden is currently capable enough to finish out this term while also believing that he is showing signs which indicate he might not be fit for another 4 years.

    • Zaktor@sopuli.xyzEnglish
      7·
      1 month ago

      Presidenting can be done by cabinet activity with decisions during specified times of day and delegated decision making during other times. Campaigning cannot.

      Plus, if Harris becomes president her VP would need to be confirmed, which requires Republicans, and if it wasn’t, we’re one assassination away from President Mike Johnson.

    • drcobaltjedi@programming.dev
      62·
      1 month ago

      Because he’s 81, and soon to be 82 in november. Getting him to january shouldn’t be a big deal. Getting him to January 2029 however, he’ll be 86. Can you name anything that might be not unexpected to happen to someone who is in their 80s? Why do you think a man who will be 86 when he leaves office (assuming he wins again) will still be operating at this same level now? Hell, he couldn’t get through a debate with trump a few weeks ago without clearly being an old person.

    • Maggoty@lemmy.world
      1·
      1 month ago

      There were but they were quickly hushed by the adults in the room because there is a VP and she might be the one to replace him on the campaign trail. So they didn’t need smoke on the field.

    • retrospectology@lemmy.world
      520·
      1 month ago

      Because he gave so few press conferences that people didn’t know what a vegetable he was. The failure of his mental capacity over the last year or two was carefully hidden from the public by his administration.

      The calls for him to step down are the calls for him to resign.