Biden says he went to the doctor after the debate, but: ‘I messed up’

President Joe Biden told Democratic governors on Wednesday that he was cleared by a doctor after last week’s debate, contradicting previous White House statements about his medical care.

The president met in person and via video call with Democratic governors on Wednesday night and faced questions about last week’s devastating debate performance.

Asked whether he received medical care after the debate, he told the assembled governors that he was examined by a doctor and that everything was fine, according to two sources familiar with the debate. A few hours earlier, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated that Biden had not undergone any medical exams since February, when he last had a complete physical exam and multiple tests.

Political first reported Biden’s comments come as the president seeks to shore up supporters on the left amid concerns about his ability to do his job — and defeat Donald Trump in November.

In a radio interview with a Wisconsin station that aired in full on Thursday, Biden told listeners: “I had a bad night, I had a bad night. .”

He continued: “I didn’t have a good debate. That’s 90 minutes on stage. Look what I did in 3.5 years. I led the economy from the brink of collapse.”

Acknowledging its previous omission, the White House now says that Biden has not had a medical exam since February, but that he has since seen a doctor regularly for brief check-ins, including after the debate.

“Several days later, the president was seen checking out his cold and was recovering well,” White House spokesman Andrew Bates told NBC News in a statement Thursday morning. The White House added that Biden has not undergone any type of neurological exam since the debate a week ago.

Like other presidents, Biden has a personal doctor who travels with him and is available for any needs.

Biden’s meeting with governors was hosted by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, president of the Democratic Governors Association, as part of a broader effort to quell concerns about his poor debate performance and the path forward.