The White House claimed Tuesday that, five days after Joe Biden’s disaster of a debate, the president is still suffering from a nagging cold that’s apparently making his voice hoarse and is being blamed in part for his debate performance.
That supposed sickness couldn’t come at a worst time for Biden, 81, who’s facing increased calls to bow out of the 2024 presidential election even by top names in his own party.
Biden’s press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, made the revelation during a mess of a White House press briefing, in which she defended signs of her boss’ cognitive decline by claiming he’s simply “slower than he used to be” and referring questions about him stepping aside to his campaign.
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Jean-Pierre stated that Biden still had a cold in response to a question that asked, “Is Biden’s cognitive decline an episode or a condition?”
It’s a question that’s on the minds of millions of Americans after Biden appeared lost in primetime on Thursday night, struggling to speak coherently about even the most important of issues, like abortion.
News that Biden was suffering from a cold weren’t leaked by his aides until after his poor debate performance was underway, pushing many to think it was merely an excuse for his struggles (and his hoarse voice).
Almost immediately after the debate, Biden traveled to a Waffle House in Atlanta. There, he was seen shaking hands with voters and speaking close to their faces—things most people suffering from a cold shy away from. Some rival politicians have since honed in on that point.
“If Biden really had a ‘cold,’ why did he go into a packed Waffle House while he was sick?” questioned Rep. Marry Miller (R-IL) on X. “The White House just said he is STILL sick today. How could the ‘press’ not ask this?”
