Members of the media, top Democrats and other leaders passionately defended President Biden throughout his term as questions arose about the president’s ability to serve a second term and his mental fitness before he ultimately dropped out of the race.
The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that Biden’s stamina problems had become apparent in his first few months in office Interviews with almost 50 peopleincluding current and former White House staffers who interacted directly with the president.
A former adviser recalled a national security official explaining why a spring 2021 meeting was canceled entirely.
“He has good days and bad days, and today was a bad day, so we’ll deal with it tomorrow,” he recalled the official saying.
The White House rejected the contents of the Journal’s report in a statement to Fox News Digital this week, saying Biden’s policy achievements were “indisputable evidence” of his qualifications and leadership abilities.
“President Biden speaks with members of his Cabinet daily and with most members several times a week and remains in close contact with them about implementing important legislation and strengthening our national security. During any presidency, there are bound to be some in Washington who don’t.” “They get as much time with the president as they want; “But that never means the President doesn’t engage deeply with others, as this President does,” White House spokesman Andrew Bates said in a statement.
Media members, top Democrats and other leaders passionately defended President Biden throughout his term as questions swirled about the president’s ability to serve a second term. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) (AP)
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Senior leadership and some in the media have proudly defended the president throughout his term in office against concerns about his abilities.
MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough tells viewers who can’t handle the “truth” that the president is the “best Biden ever.”
MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” host Joe Scarborough passionately defended Biden in March, despite many having concerns about the president’s ability to serve a second term.
He had words for Americans who questioned the president’s fitness, saying during the live broadcast: “F-you.”
“I’ve been saying it for years, he’s convincing. But I underestimated it when I said he was convincing, he is far more than convincing. In fact, I think he’s better than he’s ever been, intellectually and analytically, because he’s been around for fifty years,” Scarborough said. “Start your video now because I’m about to tell you the truth. And f-you if you can’t handle the truth. This version of Biden is, intellectually and analytically, the best Biden ever.”
“Not a close second, and I’ve known him for years, the Brzezinskis have known him for fifty years, if it wasn’t the truth I wouldn’t be saying it,” Scarborough added.
After the June debate that ultimately led to the president’s exit, Scarborough lamented that the president had missed layup after layup against President-elect Donald Trump. Scarborough also dismissed a WSJ report published in June about the president’s abilities, which he called a “Trump hit piece.”
MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough defends President Biden in response to concerns about his fitness to hold office. (Screenshot/MSNBC)
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Vice President Kamala Harris has no regrets about repeatedly defending Biden’s fitness
Vice President Kamala Harris repeatedly defended her boss against attacks on his ability to serve. Two weeks before the election, Harris sat down with NBC News’ Hallie Jackson and asked her if she could say she was being “honest” with Americans who have concerns about Biden’s age.
“Joe Biden is by all accounts a highly accomplished, experienced and capable individual that everyone would want as president,” she said during the interview.
She said the president’s debate performance in June was simply a “bad night.”
During her first sit-down interview as a presidential candidate in August, Harris said she had no regrets about what she told the American people regarding Biden’s health.
“I have worked for President Biden for almost four years now and let me tell you, it is truly one of the greatest honors of my career. He cares so much about the American people. He’s so smart and loyal to the American people.” “And I spent hours with him in the Oval Office or in the situation room. He has the intelligence, the commitment and the judgment and the attitude that I think the American people rightly deserve from their president.”
Harris joined “The View” in early January 2024 and also defended Biden. She accused Republicans of pushing the narrative that the president is mentally incompetent because they “have nothing to run with.”
During an interview with The New York Times in November 2023, Harris said, “Age is more than a chronological fact.” She insisted that Biden was “absolutely authoritative in rooms around the world.”
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Karine Jean-Pierre laughs at question about Biden’s fitness on CNN
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who repeatedly dismissed questions about Biden’s fitness and fitness to serve throughout her tenure as press secretary, told CNN in June 2022 that she herself had found it difficult to keep up with the president and dismissed one question asked by her back former CNN anchor Don Lemon.
“Don, you’re asking me this question,” exclaimed a visibly astonished Jean-Pierre. “Oh my God. He is the President of the United States.”
The press secretary then laughed and said that she sometimes finds it difficult to even keep up with Biden.
“That’s not a question we should even be asking,” she added. “Just look at the work he does. And look at how he delivers for the American public.”
President Joe Biden delivers a speech on the latest developments in Syria in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on December 8, 2024 in Washington, DC. Syrian rebel fighters entered the Syrian capital Damascus on Sunday. President Bashar al-Assad has reportedly fled the country, ending his family’s more than five decades of rule. (Photo by Pete Marovich/Getty Images) (Pete Marovich/Getty Images)
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Gen. Mark Milley says Americans can “rest easy” about age concerns based on his interactions with Biden
Gen. Mark Milley spoke to CBS News’ “60 Minutes” in October 2023, encouraging Americans to remain calm as he was pressed about concerns about Biden’s age. Milley left his post as Joint Chiefs of Staff in September 2023 and was nominated for the post by Trump.
“How people interpret that is up to them, but I interact with him frequently and am alert, sensible, doing his homework, reading the newspapers, reading all the material read out. And he’s very, very involved in very serious matters. “War and peace and life and death,” Milley said.
“So if the American people are worried about a person who is, you know, someone who makes decisions about war and peace and has access to, you know, decisions about nuclear weapons and things like that, then I think they rest “simply,” he continued.
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Fox News’ Martha McCallum asked Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., a close ally of President Biden, whether he regretted not discussing Biden’s fitness to serve in a recent interview on her show.
“I don’t hang out with the president on the weekends. I don’t spend any time with him, socially or in person. My experience with him leading up to this debate led me to believe that he was fully capable of competent leadership.” “Our nation,” Coons said.
Coons, who took over the president’s Senate seat after Biden was elected vice president, had repeatedly defended the president against attacks on his age. Fox News Digital reached out to Cabinet officials and their departments, asking them whether they believed Biden was fit to serve this week and whether they would stand by previous expressions of confidence in his ability to continue.
DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement in September that he has “full confidence in President Biden’s ability to carry out his job.” On Monday, DHS said the secretary stands by those comments.
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas speaks with Politico Magazine Senior Writer Ankush Khardori during Politico’s annual AI and Tech Summit on September 17, 2024 in Washington, DC (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
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Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo called Biden “one of the most successful presidents in American history and continues to lead our country effectively with a steady hand.”
A spokeswoman for her office said she stood by her comments.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Fox News’ Jeffrey Clark and Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.