United States President Joe Biden is under increasing scrutiny regarding his ability to function effectively outside a limited six-hour window of daylight, a report by Axios said on Saturday. White House aides told the Axios that the 81-year-old Democrat performs best between 10 AM and 4 PM. Outside of these hours or while travelling abroad, Biden is more prone to verbal slip-ups and fatigue.
The report, following Biden’s lacklustre performance in a recent presidential debate, states that White House officials schedule the President’s public appearances within this preferred time frame to minimise the impact of his age.
Moreover, several former and current White House officials mentioned that many aides have noticed flashes of absent-mindedness in Biden but typically dismiss them as gaffes.
This issue has sparked debate about Biden’s physical fitness and mental acuity, particularly as he would be 86 years old by the end of a potential second term.
The 90-minute debate against former President Donald Trump was Biden’s opportunity to demonstrate his capability to handle another four-term year term. However, the debate, held at 9 PM — five hours past Biden’s peak performance window — saw the President appear vacant, struggle to articulate coherent thoughts and make absent-minded mistakes.
Trump capitalised on these moments, questioning Biden’s ability to serve another term. “I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence, and I don’t think he did, either,” the former President remarked after one of Biden’s responses.
In an attempt to reassure voters, Biden delivered a more energetic speech in North Carolina a day after the debate, acknowledging his physical and verbal limitations but he also emphasised his commitment to honesty and effectiveness in office.
“I don’t walk as easy as I used to. I don’t speak as smoothly as I used to,” he said. “I don’t debate as well as I used to, but I know what I do know: I know how to tell the truth!”
Biden added that he would not be running for a second term if he did not believe “with all my heart and soul I can do this”.
Despite this, the debate has intensified pressure from donors and political commentators urging him to withdraw from the electoral race.
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