WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden’s terrible performance on June 27 presidential debate he has raised concerns about your age, health and ability to lead the federal government.
Administration officials attributed his confusing and sometimes indecipherable answers in the debate with Republican Donald Trump to a cold, jet lag and poor preparation at Camp David. But at 81, Biden has found his health will be a key issue for many voters heading into the November elections. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre attempted to answer questions about the president’s health at Monday’s press conference.
Biden has extensive annual physical exams, Jean-Pierre said. She added that most Americans do not understand the extent of the president’s medical care, as many people are lucky to see their doctors once or twice a year. In contrast, the president’s medical unit is “just steps away from his residence” at the White House. “A few times a week,” Biden does a “verbal check-in with his doctor while he exercises,” Jean-Pierre said, adding that he checked in on Monday.
There was confusion over whether Biden consulted his doctor about his cold following the June 27 presidential debate. The White House initially said there was no medical examination, but later said there was a “brief verbal check-in” and it was determined that no examination was necessary.
“He went to the neurologist three times,” Jean-Pierre said. “No more than that.”
The White House spokesman repeated the phrase “three times” on 17 occasions during Monday’s briefing. She emphasized that all three meetings with a neurologist were tied to the president’s annual physical exams. But Jean-Pierre declined to say where Biden saw the neurologist — whether the visits were at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center or elsewhere. “I have nothing to say about the location,” she said.
No, according to the most recent medical letter, issued in February after Biden’s last physical exam. Jean-Pierre cited that document on Monday in response to reporters’ questions.
That letter said that “an extremely detailed neurological examination was again reassuring” as there were no findings consistent with stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, or lateral ascending sclerosis. The letter added that no tremors or “motor weakness” were detected. Written by Biden’s doctor, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, the letter added that Biden “demonstrates excellent fine motor dexterity.”
Visitor records show that Dr. Kevin Cannard, a neurologist who has conducted research into Parkinson’s disease, went to the White House eight times between July 2023 and last March.
Jean-Pierre refused to confirm the doctor’s name or say why he was going to the White House. She told reporters this was due to security reasons and noted that the White House medical unit treats more people than just the president. “There are thousands of military personnel who come to this White House,” said Jean-Pierre. “Many of them receive care from the White House medical unit and so we need to be very careful.”
Jean-Pierre encouraged the audience to “connect the dots”.
According to a person familiar with the matter, Cannard makes monthly visits to the White House to support the White House Medical Unit. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private medical matters. Cannard made similar trips during the Obama administration, according to visitor records, and during the Trump administration, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Cannard had an appointment with Biden’s personal doctor in January at the White House Residence clinic, weeks before the president’s February physical.
At Monday’s press conference, Jean-Pierre was asked whether Biden could choose to release his full medical records. She said the president “shared a comprehensive medical report that is very detailed” and in line with what was provided by former presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush. Senator John McCain in 2008 allowed reporters to review more than 1,100 pages of his medical records when he ran for president at age 71, which would have made him the oldest president-elect at the time.
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