WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s awful performance at the June 27 presidential debate has raised doubts about his age, health and ability to lead the federal government.
Administration officials have attributed his confused and at times incomprehensible answers at the debate with Republican Donald Trump to a frigid, jet lag and a lack of preparation at Camp David. But for many voters, Biden’s health at age 81 is a key issue ahead of the November election. Dr. Kevin O’Connor, Biden’s physician, made his first comments since the debate overdue Monday after White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre struggled to answer questions about the president’s health at Monday’s press conference.
How often does the president go to the doctor?
Biden undergoes extensive medical exams every year, Jean-Pierre said. She added that most Americans are unaware of the extent of medical service the president receives, as many people are lucky to see their doctor once or twice a year. In contrast, the presidential medical unit is “just steps from the residence” at the White House. “A couple of times a week,” Biden speaks with his doctor “during exercise,” Jean-Pierre said, adding that he had an appointment on Monday.
There is confusion over whether Biden saw his doctor for his frigid after the June 27 presidential debate. The White House initially said there was no medical examination, but later said there was a “brief oral examination” and it was concluded that no examination was necessary.
Did the president see a neurologist?
“He went to the neurologist three times,” said Jean-Pierre. “Not more often.”
The White House spokeswoman repeated the phrase “three times” in 17 instances during Monday’s briefing. She stressed that all three meetings with a neurologist were related to the president’s annual physical exams. But Jean-Pierre declined to say where Biden had visited the neurologist – whether the visits took place at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center or elsewhere. “I cannot comment on the location,” she said.
Have Biden’s physical examinations revealed signs of Parkinson’s or other neurological diseases?
Not according to the report on the president’s most recent medical examination in February. Jean-Pierre cited that document on Monday in response to reporters’ questions.
That letter said “an extremely detailed neurological examination was again reassuring” as there were no findings suggestive of stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease or ascending lateral sclerosis. The letter added that no tremors or “motor weakness” were noted. The letter, written by Biden’s doctor, O’Connor, added that Biden “demonstrates excellent fine motor control.”
Why did a neurologist specializing in Parkinson’s visit the White House?
Visitor logs show that Dr. Kevin Cannard, a neurologist who conducts Parkinson’s research, visited the White House eight times between July 2023 and last March.
Jean-Pierre would not confirm the name of the doctor or say why he went to the White House. She told reporters it was for security reasons, pointing out 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,” Jean-Pierre said. “Many of them are cared for by the White House Medical Unit, so we have to be extremely cautious.”
Jean-Pierre called on the public to “connect the dots”.
Later Monday, O’Connor released a letter with the permission of Biden and Cannard, confirming that Cannard was the neurologist who had examined the president at each of his three physicals since taking office.
But most of Cannard’s visits to the White House were in his role as a specialist in the White House Medical Department, where he treated patients with a wide range of neurological problems for 12 years, O’Connor said.
According to visitor logs, Cannard made similar trips to the White House during the Obama administration and during the Trump administration – which did not release visitor logs – said a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Cannard had a visit with Biden’s personal physician at the White House residence clinic in January, weeks before the president’s physical exam in February. O’Connor reiterated that the results of that exam showed no signs of a neurological disorder.
“President Biden has not seen a neurologist outside of his annual physical,” O’Connor said in his letter.
Could Biden waive his rights and release his full medical records?
At Monday’s press conference, Jean-Pierre was asked if Biden could release his full medical records. She said the president has provided “a comprehensive medical report that is quite detailed” and consistent with what former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush provided. Senator John McCain allowed reporters to see more than 1,100 pages of his medical records in 2008 when he ran for president at age 71, which would have made him the oldest president-elect at the time.
