The White House has defended President Joe Biden’s mental fitness, challenging skeptics within the party to either contest his candidacy or support him.
At 81 years old, Biden made an unprecedented move by calling into a cable news show, declaring: “I am not going anywhere.”
During a tense press conference, the president’s spokesperson dismissed rumors of an undisclosed illness.
Questions about Biden’s mental sharpness have increased following a poor debate performance against Donald Trump on June 27.
As Biden prepares to host a NATO summit in Washington this week, the scrutiny remains intense.
At the Monday afternoon press briefing, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre denied claims that Biden is being treated for Parkinson’s disease, which can cause stiffness and slurred speech.
She responded firmly to inquiries about a report in the New York Times that a Parkinson’s expert had visited the White House multiple times, clarifying: “Has the president been treated for Parkinson’s? No. Is he being treated for Parkinson’s? No.”
A letter from Biden’s doctor, released Monday night, explained that Dr. Kevin Cannard has been a neurology consultant to the White House since 2012 and assists “thousands of active-duty members assigned in support of White House operations.”
Dr. Kevin O’Connor, Physician to the President, confirmed that Biden has not seen a neurologist outside of his annual physical, which includes evaluations by various specialists.
His last physical in February was “extremely detailed” and revealed “no findings which would be consistent with any cerebellar or other central neurological disorder.”
On Monday morning, Biden called into MSNBC’s Morning Joe program, challenging critics to “challenge me at the convention” next month or unite against Trump.
He also addressed congressional Democrats in an open letter, asserting he “wouldn’t be running again if I did not absolutely believe” he could defeat the Republican contender in the upcoming election.
Biden emphasized that Democratic primary voters have “spoken clearly and decisively” in favor of his candidacy, asking, “Do we now just say this process didn’t matter?
That the voters don’t have a say… I decline to do that.
How can we stand for democracy in our nation if we ignore it in our own party? I cannot do that.
I will not do that.”
In further efforts to consolidate support, Biden called Democratic donors on Monday.
According to a CBS News source, he mentioned his strategy for the next debate with Trump in September would be “attack, attack, attack.”
Despite calls from some congressional Democrats for Biden to withdraw, others have rallied in his defense.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stated, “The matter is closed. Joe Biden is our nominee.
He is not leaving this race.
He is in this race and I support him.”
Ayanna Pressley, Maxine Waters, and Frank Pallone also expressed their support.
However, Adam Smith became the sixth congressional member to publicly urge Biden to step down, criticizing his debate performance.
“The president was completely incapable of doing something that any sort of relatively novice debater should have been able to do, and it hasn’t gotten better since then,” he told the BBC.
Reports indicate that during a group call led by Democratic minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, several congressmen, including Jerry Nadler, Mark Takano, Joe Morelle, and Jim Himes, urged Biden to step aside.
Last week, Lloyd Doggett became the first congressional Democrat to call for Biden to step down.
Trump, 78, mocked Biden’s debate performance, calling him “broken-down,” while Biden’s allies expressed frustration over the media’s focus on his fitness.
With growing speculation over Biden’s candidacy, some Democrats are considering Vice-President Kamala Harris as a potential replacement.
Trump suggested Harris would be “better” than Biden, though still “pathetic.”
Biden admitted in recent interviews that he “screwed up” the debate but asserted that only the “Lord Almighty” could convince him to end his campaign for re-election.
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