July 5th 2024.
President Joe Biden recently underwent a medical examination following the CNN presidential debate last week, according to the White House. This comes after White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated on Wednesday that the president had not received any medical exams since his physical in February.
White House spokesman Andrew Bates explained that a few days after the debate, President Biden checked on his cold and was recovering well. When asked during a press briefing on Wednesday if the president had received any medical exams since February, Jean-Pierre responded that they had spoken to his doctor and the answer was no.
However, a White House official clarified that when the president was seen by his doctor after the debate, it was just a brief check and not a full physical. It was reported by Politico that Biden told Democratic governors in a private meeting on Wednesday that he had undergone a medical checkup after the debate and was in good health.
The White House clarified on Thursday that Jean-Pierre's statement about the president not having any medical exams since February was in reference to a formal physical, and not just a check-in with his doctor. This explanation, however, does not fully address another exchange from the same briefing on Wednesday.
A reporter had asked Jean-Pierre if the president had been checked out by his doctor around the debate, given that he had a cold. Jean-Pierre responded that it was just a cold and he did not get checked out by his doctor. However, in a briefing with reporters on Air Force One on Friday, Jean-Pierre described the check-in with Biden's doctor as a simple conversation and stated that his doctor did not feel a full examination was necessary.
Questions about Biden's age and ability to seek a second term have been raised since his underwhelming debate performance. CNN reported that Biden privately acknowledged to an ally that the next few days are crucial in determining whether he can save his re-election bid. However, both the White House and the campaign have maintained that the president is not considering ending his campaign.
When asked about concerns regarding his age, top advisers have pointed to his strenuous travel schedule as evidence of his vitality and ability to do the job at 81 years old. However, Biden's recent explanation for his poor debate performance – citing jet lag from international travel – has weakened this argument.
During Wednesday's press briefing, when questioned about not mentioning travel fatigue as a factor for Biden's performance, Jean-Pierre attributed it to her focus on the president's cold. She acknowledged that his schedule may have played a role and stated that she was aware of it the day before.
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