Latest news with #DemocratsLost
Sky News AU
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Book reveals Joe Biden advisors declined to have president take a cognitive test in February 2024: report
A new book revealed that former President Joe Biden's team chose not to have the president take a cognitive test in February 2024, over concerns that taking the test itself would raise more questions about his age, The New York Times reported Sunday. Authors Tyler Pager, a reporter for The New York Times, Josh Dawsey, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal and Isaac Arnsdorf, a reporter for the Washington Post, wrote the book, titled, "2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America," which is set to be released in July. The book, one of several about the tumultuous 2024 presidential election, details that Biden's top aides debated having him complete a cognitive test to quell concerns about his age. The aides were reportedly confident Biden would pass the test. "At the same time, Mr. Biden's longtime doctor, Kevin O'Connor, had told aides he would not take the 81-year-old president's political standing into consideration when treating him," the Times reported, citing the book. The debate over whether the president should take the test occurred in February 2024, several months before the June debate against President Donald Trump, and just a couple of weeks before Biden's White House physical exam, the Times reported. It was the same month that Special Counsel Robert Hur's report about the former president's mishandling of classified documents was released. The special counsel described Biden as "a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory." The NYT report also described a conversation from the new book between former Biden chief of staff Ron Klain and former Obama aide and frequent CNN guest, David Axelrod. Klain, according to NYT, called Axelrod following a Times report from June 2022 that quoted Axelrod saying, "The stark reality is the president would be closer to 90 than 80 at the end of a second term, and that would be a major issue." "That comment prompted an angry call to Mr. Axelrod from Ron Klain, then Mr. Biden's chief of staff, according to the book. Mr. Klain wanted to know why Mr. Axelrod was fueling doubts about a Democratic president who was on track to begin a re-election campaign," the NYT reported. "There's no Obama out there, Axe," Klain said during the call, according to the Times. "Who's going to do it if he doesn't do it?" Another new book about the 2024 campaign revealed that Klain said Biden was "fatigued, befuddled and disengaged" before his debate with Trump in June. Klain helped Biden prepare for the debate after exiting his White House role. "At his first meeting with Biden in Aspen Lodge, the president's cabin," author Chris Whipple wrote, Klain "was startled. He'd never seen him so exhausted and out of it. Biden was unaware of what was happening in his own campaign. Halfway through the session, the president excused himself and went off to sit by the pool." Whipple's book, "Uncharted: How Trump Beat Biden, Harris, and the Odds in the Wildest Campaign in History," was released in April. A representative for Biden did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Originally published as Book reveals Joe Biden advisors declined to have president take a cognitive test in February 2024: report
Fox News
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Book reveals Biden advisors declined to have president take a cognitive test in February 2024: Report
A new book revealed that former President Joe Biden's team chose not to have the president take a cognitive test in February 2024, over concerns that taking the test itself would raise more questions about his age, The New York Times reported Sunday. Authors Tyler Pager, a reporter for The New York Times, Josh Dawsey, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal and Isaac Arnsdorf, a reporter for the Washington Post, wrote the book, titled, "2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America," which is set to be released in July. The book, one of several about the tumultuous 2024 presidential election, details that Biden's top aides debated having him complete a cognitive test to quell concerns about his age. The aides were reportedly confident Biden would pass the test. "At the same time, Mr. Biden's longtime doctor, Kevin O'Connor, had told aides he would not take the 81-year-old president's political standing into consideration when treating him," the Times reported, citing the book. The debate over whether the president should take the test occurred in February 2024, several months before the June debate against President Donald Trump, and just a couple of weeks before Biden's White House physical exam, the Times reported. It was the same month that Special Counsel Robert Hur's report about the former president's mishandling of classified documents was released. The special counsel described Biden as "a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory." The NYT report also described a conversation from the new book between former Biden chief of staff Ron Klain and former Obama aide and frequent CNN guest, David Axelrod. Klain, according to NYT, called Axelrod following a Times report from June 2022 that quoted Axelrod saying, "The stark reality is the president would be closer to 90 than 80 at the end of a second term, and that would be a major issue." "That comment prompted an angry call to Mr. Axelrod from Ron Klain, then Mr. Biden's chief of staff, according to the book. Mr. Klain wanted to know why Mr. Axelrod was fueling doubts about a Democratic president who was on track to begin a re-election campaign," the NYT reported. "There's no Obama out there, Axe," Klain said during the call, according to the Times. "Who's going to do it if he doesn't do it?" Another new book about the 2024 campaign revealed that Klain said Biden was "fatigued, befuddled and disengaged" before his debate with Trump in June. Klain helped Biden prepare for the debate after exiting his White House role. "At his first meeting with Biden in Aspen Lodge, the president's cabin," author Chris Whipple wrote, Klain "was startled. He'd never seen him so exhausted and out of it. Biden was unaware of what was happening in his own campaign. Halfway through the session, the president excused himself and went off to sit by the pool." Whipple's book, "Uncharted: How Trump Beat Biden, Harris, and the Odds in the Wildest Campaign in History," was released in April. A representative for Biden did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Fox News
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Book reveals Biden advisers declined to have president take a cognitive test in February 2024: Report
A new book revealed that former President Joe Biden's team chose not to have the president take a cognitive test in February 2024, over concerns that taking the test itself would raise more questions about his age, The New York Times reported Sunday. Authors Tyler Pager, a reporter for The New York Times, Josh Dawsey, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal and Isaac Arnsdorf, a reporter for the Washington Post, wrote the book, titled, "2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America," which is set to be released in July. The book, one of several about the tumultuous 2024 presidential election, details that Biden's top aides debated having him complete a cognitive test to quell concerns about his age. The aides were reportedly confident Biden would pass the test. "At the same time, Mr. Biden's longtime doctor, Kevin O'Connor, had told aides he would not take the 81-year-old president's political standing into consideration when treating him," the Times reported, citing the book. The debate over whether the president should take the test occurred in February 2024, several months before the June debate against President Donald Trump, and just a couple of weeks before Biden's White House physical exam, the Times reported. It was the same month that Special Counsel Robert Hur's report about the former president's mishandling of classified documents was released. The special counsel described Biden as "a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory." The NYT report also described a conversation from the new book between former Biden chief of staff Ron Klain and former Obama aide and frequent CNN guest, David Axelrod. Klain, according to NYT, called Axelrod following a Times report from June 2022 that quoted Axelrod saying, "The stark reality is the president would be closer to 90 than 80 at the end of a second term, and that would be a major issue." "That comment prompted an angry call to Mr. Axelrod from Ron Klain, then Mr. Biden's chief of staff, according to the book. Mr. Klain wanted to know why Mr. Axelrod was fueling doubts about a Democratic president who was on track to begin a re-election campaign," the NYT reported. "There's no Obama out there, Axe," Klain said during the call, according to the Times. "Who's going to do it if he doesn't do it?" Another new book about the 2024 campaign revealed that Klain said Biden was "fatigued, befuddled and disengaged" before his debate with Trump in June. Klain helped Biden prepare for the debate after exiting his White House role. "At his first meeting with Biden in Aspen Lodge, the president's cabin," author Chris Whipple wrote, Klain "was startled. He'd never seen him so exhausted and out of it. Biden was unaware of what was happening in his own campaign. Halfway through the session, the president excused himself and went off to sit by the pool." Whipple's book, "Uncharted: How Trump Beat Biden, Harris, and the Odds in the Wildest Campaign in History," was released in April. A representative for Biden did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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First Post
04-05-2025
- Health
- First Post
Cognitive test for Biden? Aides debated but dropped the idea, book reveals
The 82-year-old leader had to drop out of the presidential race following his dismal performance in the presidential debate against Trump read more United States President Joe Biden and first lady Dr Jill Biden depart board the helicopter to take them from the East Front of the United States Capitol in Washington, DC after the swearing-in of President Donald Trump on January 20, 2025. File Image/Reuters Joe Biden's staff last year explored the possibility of the then-president taking a cognitive test but eventually dropped the idea, a book is set to reveal. Biden's mental health and his cognitive abilities were a major poll issue ahead of the 2024 presidential elections. The 82-year-old leader had to drop out of the presidential race following his dismal performance in the presidential debate with then-Republican candidate Donald Trump. Now, a new book, titled '2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America,' written by three experienced American political journalists, has brought to light discussions among Biden's staff. According to a report in the New York Times, one of whose journalists is a co-author of the book, Biden's aides had serious conversations about administering a cognitive test. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Biden's aides were confident that he would pass a cognitive test, according to the book, but they worried that the mere fact of his taking one would raise new questions about his mental abilities,' the paper said. The book reveals that the discussions took place around February last year. Although no such test was conducted, Biden's poor performance in the debate forced him to step aside and make way for then-Vice President Kamala Harris. The Biden White House would remain reluctant to discuss details about the president's health, but it used to release annual updates from the White House physician about his physicals, something that Trump never did. During his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump had released limited information about his health. The primary disclosure was a doctor's letter that claimed he would be 'the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency.' This statement, however, was not accompanied by extensive medical records or detailed health information. In a March interview, Trump again mocked Biden, saying the 'only thing' he loved about his predecessor was his 'ability to fall asleep within minutes.' 'He'd go to a beach, lay down on a cot – barely able to get his feet through the sand – he'd lay down and within minutes he's sleeping and have cameras watching.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'I would never be able to sleep like that. That's the only thing that I think that was wonderful,' the US president added. During Biden's time in the White House, Trump repeatedly called him 'Sleepy Joe.' During the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump even criticised Biden for spending too much time at the beach and even sleeping in a swimsuit, according to the New York Post.
