According to a source close to the White House, President Joe Biden, 81, took frequent naps during his six-day debate preparation process, which began no earlier than 11:00 am. The president’s “lapses” have become increasingly common and worrisome, according to a recent report.
However, White House spokesman Andrew Bates has denied these claims. Biden himself acknowledged during a fundraiser that his back-to-back trips to Europe left him exhausted, leading to a shortened debate preparation period so he could rest before rehearsals with his advisors at Camp David.
The New York Times reported based on multiple sources:
The uncomfortable occurrences were not predictable, but seemed more likely when he was in a large crowd or tired after a particularly bruising schedule. In the 23 days leading up to the debate against former President Donald J. Trump, Mr. Biden jetted across the Atlantic Ocean twice for meetings with foreign leaders and then flew from Italy to California for a splashy fund-raiser, maintaining a grueling pace that exhausted even much younger aides. The recent moments of disorientation generated concern among advisers and allies alike. He seemed confused at points during a D-Day anniversary ceremony in France on June 6. The next day, he misstated the purpose of a new tranche of military aid to Ukraine when meeting with its president. On June 10, he appeared to freeze up at an early celebration of the Juneteenth holiday. On June 18, his soft-spoken tone and brief struggle to summon the name of his homeland security secretary at an immigration event unnerved some of his allies at the event, who traded alarmed looks and later described themselves as “shaken up,” as one put it. Mr. Biden recovered, and named Alejandro N. Mayorkas.
– New York Times
Meanwhile, a CBS News/YouGov poll found that 72% of registered voters question Biden’s “mental” and “cognitive health” to serve as president, a seven-point increase since the debate.
The president’s health challenges may be contributing to his struggles to stay upright. He has suffered at least five trips, tumbles, and stumbles during his presidency, including atrial fibrillation, peripheral neuropathy in his feet, and hyperlipidemia, according to his annual physical examination.
To draw less attention to his physical ailments, Biden began walking to and from Marine One with multiple aides and boarding Air Force One from the shorter steps at the rear of the aircraft instead of the taller staircase at the front. He also wears specially crafted sports shoes to help him walk, a common change for the elderly.
