President Biden appeared uncertain about his next steps during his sole public event of the week on Thursday, needing a prompt from an emcee to exit a White House ceremony honoring the Texas Rangers’ World Series victory. The president eventually departed after saluting the players.
At 81, Biden ended his re-election campaign on July 21 following growing concerns from fellow Democrats about his cognitive abilities. Despite this, he has asserted that he is still fully capable of fulfilling the duties of the presidency through January 20, although his public schedule has become noticeably lighter.
“All right, what am I doing now?” Biden asked after concluding the event by accepting a custom jersey and cowboy boots from the team in the White House’s East Room.
A military aide approached to take the gifts, with Biden humorously asking, “Are you stealing my jersey?”
Despite having hosted numerous events in the same room, Biden then appeared uncertain, awkwardly scanning the room for guidance. At one point, he raised both hands, seemingly unsure of what to do next.
His confusion was resolved when the emcee announced, “Distinguished guests, please remain in your seats as the president departs.”
Upon hearing this, Biden made a playful jogging motion with his arms as he exited the stage.
After briefly greeting two young children in the front row, Biden turned, stood upright, and gave a formal salute to the Dallas-Fort Worth team.
Prominent Republicans and some Democrats have urged Biden to step down, questioning his ability to serve as commander-in-chief.
“If Joe Biden is not fit to run for president, he is not fit to serve as president. He must resign the office immediately,” stated House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) last month, following Biden’s decision to withdraw from the presidential race and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor.
Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.) commented last month that “Americans deserve to feel their president is fit enough to do the job.”
“I doubt the president’s judgment about his health, his fitness to do the job, and whether he is the one making important decisions about our country, rather than unelected advisers,” she added.
Biden did not have any public engagements on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday.
On Thursday evening, he was scheduled for a private visit to his former campaign headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, before returning to his vacation home on the Delaware coast for an extended weekend.
Biden’s decision to withdraw from the race followed nearly a month of pressure from other party leaders, particularly after a disastrous June 27 debate against former President Donald Trump, during which Biden frequently seemed confused and made baffling remarks, such as claiming he had “beat Medicare.”
Harris, 59, has since gained significant ground in the polls, currently outpacing Trump in the RealClearPolitics average of national surveys, after Biden consistently trailed Trump throughout 2024.
Republicans have pointed out that Harris has not given any interviews since taking over as the Democratic candidate, avoiding scrutiny of her policies and record, and benefiting from an extended “honeymoon” period ahead of the November 5 election.
Biden’s team has continued to defend his capability to lead, with press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre asserting that he could still serve a complete second term. Additionally, his physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, affirmed in an interview with The Post that Biden’s cognitive health is “excellent.”
{Matzav.com}