Checkup finds Biden healthy, vigorous; Harris briefly serves as acting president
BETHESDA, MD. >> President Joe Biden remains “healthy” and “vigorous” and fit for duty, but is showing some signs of aging, his doctor said Friday after the oldest president in American history underwent his first routine physical in office and — in a history-making moment — briefly transferred power to Vice President Kamala Harris while he underwent a colonoscopy.
Harris, the first woman, first Black person and first person of South Asian descent to be vice president, was — for one hour and 25 minutes — acting president while Biden was under anesthesia.
Over more than five hours Friday at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, the president underwent a battery of blood, physical, gastrointestinal, dental, vision and neurological
examinations. Dr. Kevin O’Connor, who has been Biden’s primary care physician since 2009, wrote in a six-page memo released by the White House that Biden, who turns 79 today, “remains a healthy, vigorous, 78-year-old male, who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency.”
O’Connor, however, revealed that he investigated Biden for increased instances of “throat clearing” during public remarks and a stiffening of his gait. O’Connor reported that Biden’s coughing was the result of gastrointestinal reflux and that the stiffened gait was the result of a new diagnosis of “mild peripheral
neuropathy,” spinal arthritis and compensation for a broken foot sustained a year ago.
Interest in Biden’s health has been high ever since he declared his candidacy for the White House in 2019 and remains intense as speculation about a 2024 reelection bid swirls. The visit to the medical center
in the Washington suburbs was for his first routine physical exam as president — and his first since December 2019.
As part of the screening, Biden underwent an “extremely detailed neurological exam” that ruled out stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, but caught the neuropathy, which is nerve damage in the hands and feet. O’Connor said the most common cause of the condition is diabetes, but Biden is not diabetic. Biden, he said, would soon try custom orthotics to improve his gait.
During the course of Biden’s colonoscopy a “benign-appearing polyp” of about 3 millimeters was identified and removed and would be studied over the coming week. O’Connor said Biden has never had colon cancer.
While serving as acting president Harris was working from her office in the West Wing, Psaki said. She later traveled to Ohio once Biden awoke from the procedure.
Biden was keenly aware of the history he was making when he selected Harris to be his running mate, Psaki said, adding that she made “history every day” in the job.