Biden says he was seen by doctor after debate and is fine
![Biden says he was seen by doctor after debate and is fine](https://thehill.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/AP24180656760215-e1719874305796.jpg?w=900)
President Biden told Democratic governors that he saw a doctor after his shaky debate performance last week and was given a clean bill of health.
The comments, first reported by Politico, apparently contradict White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who told reporters Tuesday that Biden had not had a medical exam since his February physical.
White House spokesperson Andrew Bates confirmed to The Hill that Biden saw a doctor in the days after last week’s debate to check in about his cold and is now “recovering well.”
The Biden campaign said the president was hampered by a cold during the debate, during which he spoke in a quiet, raspy voice and struggled to string ideas together or rebut former President Trump’s many false statements. His performance has raised concerns among some Democrats about the president’s ability to serve a second term.
Jean-Pierre added Wednesday that Biden still had a “lingering cold” at the time but was overall doing well, saying he’s “ready to go.”
The governors said after meeting with Biden on Wednesday that they were reassured about his campaign and they fully back him.
Biden admitted that he faltered in the debate in a Wisconsin radio interview that aired Thursday.
“I had a bad night,” he said. “I screwed up. I made a mistake. But I learned from my father, when you get knocked down, just get back up. And you know, we’re gonna win this election. We’re gonna just beat Donald Trump as much as we did in 2020.”
Some of the country’s leading media outlets, two House Democrats and others have called for Biden to leave the presidential campaign in the wake of the debate and let a different Democrat take on Trump.
The president argued that voters shouldn’t be put off by his performance in the debate, but instead look at his long record of accomplishments.
“I didn’t have a good debate. That’s 90 minutes on stage,” he said. “Look at what I’ve done in 3 1/2 years.”
The race for the White House remains neck and neck in national polling. Trump has a 0.9 percentage point lead over Biden in The Hill/Decision Desk HQ average of polls.
Date: | |
Tag: | Joe Biden |
Filter
-
NBC News - Top stories
Biden says he saw a doctor after the debate and acknowledges: 'I screwed up'
President Joe Biden said he was cleared by a doctor after last week’s debate, admitting "I screwed up" in a performance that worried Democrats.Joe Biden -
The Hill - Politics
Biden had ‘verbal check-in’ with doctor after White House said he got no checkup for debate cold
The White House on Friday said President Biden had a "verbal check-in" with his doctor about the cold he had during the debate, after telling reporters earlier in the week that he did not get a medical exam — and had not had once since his yearly ...Joe Biden -
Financial Times - Business
Biden says he ‘screwed up’ in debate as he fights to save candidacy
President launches effort to reset campaign including trips to swing states and TV interviewJoe Biden -
BBC News - Top stories
Biden says he 'screwed up' debate but vows to stay in election
Speculation is swirling around whether the president will continue his re-election bid after last week's disastrous debate.Joe Biden -
The Hill - Politics
Biden says he was ‘feeling terrible’ before debate, called it a ‘bad episode’
President Biden reiterated Friday that he felt terrible before last week's debate but said it was a "bad episode" and not part of a larger condition, defending his candidacy in his first interview since mounting calls for him to drop out of the ...Joe Biden -
Financial Times - World
Biden rejects calls to quit presidential race as clamour grows for his exit
The president’s public appearances have failed to quell critics’ concerns about his fitnessJoe Biden -
The Hill - Politics
California Democrat says Biden campaign 'arrogant' after debate
Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif.) says the Biden campaign has been “arrogant” since a shaky debate performance by the president last week. “As much as I love Joe Biden, in those swing states, he's having a hard time,” Peters said Wednesday in an ...Joe Biden -
The Wall Street Journal - World
Palestinian Doctor Says He Was Beaten During Seven Months in Israeli Custody
The former director of Gaza’s largest hospital says he was beaten and denied access to a lawyer while in an Israeli detention center—raising new questions about Israel’s treatment of prisoners.Israel -
CBS News - Top stories
Biden tells ABC News his debate was a "bad episode," says he was "exhausted"
President Biden sat down with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos in Wisconsin Friday for the first interview since his disastrous presidential debate last week.Joe Biden
More from The Hill
-
The Hill - Politics
Hamas says it is 'waiting for a response' from Israel on Gaza cease-fire proposal
Hamas officials said Sunday that the group is waiting for a response from Israel to its most recent cease-fire proposal, Reuters reported. Hamas said last week that it would accept a key part of a three-phase cease-fire deal held up by President ...Israel -
The Hill - Politics
Bidens head to Pennsylvania as part of July voter outreach blitz
President Biden and first lady Jill Biden will travel to Pennsylvania Sunday to begin their July voter outreach events amid the fallout from the president’s poor debate showing and concerns among Democrats. Biden is set to deliver remarks at a ...Joe Biden -
The Hill - Politics
Fears grow among conservatives over abortion in GOP platform
Prominent anti-abortion, evangelical and social conservative groups are pressuring the Republican National Committee not to moderate its stance on abortion, ahead of a meeting to draft a new GOP platform next week. New efforts from groups ...Abortion -
The Hill - Politics
All eyes on Jeffries as Democrats weigh Biden’s future
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) has found himself at the center of the storm as Democrats weigh the wisdom of keeping President Biden at the top of the ticket following his disastrous debate performance in Atlanta last month. The ...Joe Biden -
The Hill - Politics
Congress inches toward reining in struggling F-35 program
Congress is moving closer to taking action to rein in the long-troubled F-35 program, which has failed to meet its promises and is facing new problems with the latest generation. Two top Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) say ...