Ex-Obama Staffers Now Questioning Biden's Age, Stability
Jazz Shaw 9:20 PM | February 27, 2024
The parade of people who are openly discussing the physical and mental decline of the nation's oldest-ever president continues to grow. And those voices are not all coming from the Fox News Channel or other conservative outlets. This week their ranks were joined by two former aides to President Barack Obama who worked directly with Joe Biden when he was the veep. Appearing on the "Pod Save America" podcast, Jon Favreau, Obama's chief speechwriter, expressed concern and exasperation over Biden's recent appearances. Favreau called Biden's age "a very real issue." He referred to him as "frail" and "mumbly" while also referencing the way Biden "shuffles" around and is unsteady on his feet. These people are coming out of the woodwork at this point and there is almost certainly a reason for that. (NY Post)
Former aides who worked directly with then-Vice President Joe Biden in the Obama administration have called current fears over his age “a very real issue” — with some alarmed at how he has become more “frail” and “mumbly.”
“If you watch Joe Biden speak, oftentimes he sounds frail and he sounds more frail than he used to, even in 2019 and 2020,” Jon Favreau, the chief speechwriter for Obama when Biden was vice president, said in a recent episode of the “Pod Save America” podcast.
“The voice sounds frail, and he shuffles more because of the arthritis in his back,” Favreau said, adding that the oldest-ever president also appears “mumbly.”
He noted polls showing as many as 80% of Americans have expressed concern about the president being 81 — saying it needs to be tackled head-on because voters can see his clear decline.
Jon Lovett, another Obama speechwriter, is a cohost of the podcast and took part in the discussion. Rather than going to bat for Biden, Lovett jumped on the bandwagon and agreed with Favreau. But he wasn't calling for someone to remove Biden... or at least not yet. He suggested that Biden's staff needs to put him out on the campaign trail more often even if that means a risk or more gaffes or another stumble and fall. He apparently believes that if Biden has the strength and mental dexterity to do the job, he needs to prove that to the public on a regular basis in order to regain support.
But what if he can't? For anyone who might disagree, Lovett said, "If you don’t view Biden being out there as a net positive, then the argument he shouldn’t be running is right.” Ouch. That's going to leave a mark.
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https://hotair.com/jazz-shaw/2024/02/27/ex-obama-staffers-now-questioning-bidens-age-stability-n3783698
