What’s up Doc? Nothing but age
WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden remains “fit for duty” as the nation’s commander-inchief, his doctor says, although his annual physical exam did not include the cognitive tests his critics want him to take.
The 81-year-old visited his doctor for a surprise check-up on Wednesday (local time) in the White House’s latest effort to combat voter concerns that the oldest president in history should not be seeking another four-year term in November.
While Mr Biden was subjected to a battery of tests, his son Hunter came face-to-face with Republicans determined to impeach his father over his foreign business dealings, accusing them of a “baseless and destructive political charade” in a fiery congressional deposition.
In a defiant statement delivered behind closed doors, Hunter Biden denied that his father was ever involved in his business, which he said was an “uncontestable fact that should end the false premise of this inquiry”.
The President’s age and the controversial dealings of his son have loomed as two key weaknesses for Mr Biden ahead of a likely rematch with former president Donald Trump.
Earlier this month, special counsel Robert Hur – who was investigating Mr Biden’s mishandling of classified documents – declined to prosecute because he said a jury would judge him to be “a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory”.
But after the President’s annual health review, his doctor Kevin O’Connor described him as “a healthy, active, robust 81-year-old male”. “He continues to be fit for duty and fully executes all of his responsibilities without any exemptions or accommodations,” he said.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Dr O’Connor decided Mr Biden did not need a cognitive test.
“Folks need to understand that the President passes a cognitive test every day,” she said.
Mr Biden joked after the exam that his doctors “think I look too young”.
“There is nothing different than last year,” he said.
While the President pushed on with his re-election campaign, Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell announced he would step down at the age of 82, saying that “one of life’s most underappreciated talents is to know when it’s time to move on to life’s next chapter”.
In his report, Dr O’Connor said Mr Biden had begun wearing a mask to help him overcome sleep apnoea, which was the most notable change in his health over the past year.
He said his stiffened gait was the result of “moderate to severe” degenerative wear and tear of his spine, but that it had not worsened since his previous exam.