Jump to content

Age and health concerns about Joe Biden

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Biden in November 2024
Polls showing growing concern about Biden's age[1]

At 82 years and 28 days, Joe Biden, the 46th president of the United States, is currently the oldest sitting president in United States history.[2][3] During the campaign for the 2024 United States presidential election, there was concern from the public and Former President Donald Trump about his health and fitness for office. These concerns increased after a poor performance by Biden during a debate against Trump in the 2024 presidential election, which led a number of commentators and some Democratic lawmakers to call for Biden to drop out of the 2024 presidential race.[4] He later withdrew his candidacy while stating that he would continue serving as president until the conclusion of his term.[5]

Prior to the debate, in February 2024, prosecutor Robert Hur, who conducted interviews totalling five hours with Biden as part of his investigation into a classified documents incident, described Biden's memory as having "significant limitations" in his investigative report.[6] At the time, liberal commentators and Democratic officials accused Hur of partisanship and including unnecessary detail.[7][8]

Background

[edit]

In February 1988, after several episodes of increasingly severe neck pain, Biden underwent surgery to correct a leaking intracranial berry aneurysm.[9][10] While recuperating, he suffered a pulmonary embolism, a serious complication.[10] After a second aneurysm was surgically repaired in May,[10][11] Biden's recuperation kept him away from the Senate for seven months.[12]

In 2018, when Biden was considering running for president, he consulted with friends, aides, and longtime supporters as to whether he was too old to seek the presidency.[13] By 2019, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Politico, CNN, The Atlantic, the Associated Press, and Slate all published articles on Biden's age and fitness for office.[14] That year, in advance of the 2020 United States presidential election, many of his Democratic opponents used his age against Biden, who was 76 at the time. Biden supporters criticized this as ageist discrimination.[15] According to ABC News, Vladimir Putin and the Russian government spread disinformation about Biden's mental health during the 2020 presidential election,[16] and the Department of Homeland Security withheld publication of a bulletin warning law enforcement agencies about this campaign.[17] During and prior to his 2020 presidential campaign, Biden was followed by rumors that he had undergone plastic surgery to appear younger. Olivia Nuzzi reported in 2019 that Biden's alleged cosmetic procedures were "a minor obsession" of the Trump White House.[18]

2020 election

[edit]

In April 2019, Joe Biden announced his entry into the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries to become the next president.[19] Throughout the primaries the other Democratic candidates, primary voters, and journalists alike raised concerns surrounding Biden's age and mental acuity, viewing the issues as a potential detriment to his electability.[20] At the time of his announcement, Joe Biden was 76 years of age. Some of the age-related concerns were easily dismissed as his main opponent, Bernie Sanders, was 78 years of age, making him older than Biden.[21] Despite that, Biden still faced age-based criticisms due to lackluster debate performances and frequent gaffes.[22][23]

During the general election, Joe Biden faced the same criticisms and was consistently attacked by his opponent Donald Trump on the issue of age and mental fitness. Trump was 74 years of age at the time, which meant Biden was older than his opponent. During the campaign, Biden was criticized for limiting his public appearances due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with Trump often times accusing him of "hiding in the basement".[24] Furthermore, Trump and his campaign would often react to Biden's gaffes by making false claims that he was suffering from dementia, and by calling him "Sleepy Joe" at rallies.[25][26]

Presidency

[edit]

During Joe Biden's presidency, his former opponent Donald Trump and right-wing media outlets continued to perpetuate claims of dementia and cognitive decline.[27][28][29] On a couple of occasions during the 2020 campaign Biden called himself a "bridge candidate", leading some to believe he would not seek a second term.[30] The Biden administration has routinely aimed to make light of the president's age by poking fun and joking about it, in a similar manner to Ronald Reagan. This approach has been met with both praise and mockery.[31][32][3] The Biden administration has also been criticized for allegedly gaslighting or harassing journalists who asked questions about Biden's health or age.[33]

Biden on his 81st birthday

On his 81st birthday, Biden posted an image of a birthday cake with dozens of candles, jokingly captioned to be for his "146th birthday". The photo brought to the surface concerns among the public about Biden's age according to a majority of those polled at the time.[34][35]

In 2022, a New York TimesSiena College poll found that 61% of Democratic voters wanted someone other than Biden to be the presidential nominee, citing his age as the main concern. Biden's aides dismissed age-related concerns as politically motivated attacks by Republicans.[36] James Carville,[37] Ezra Klein,[38] and The Economist called for Biden to not run again as early as 2022.[39] On July 28, 2022, U.S. Representative Dean Phillips became the first incumbent Democratic member of Congress to say President Biden should not run for re-election and called for "generational change," pointing to Biden's age.[40] In a July 2023 television appearance, U.S. Representative Greg Murphy, who is also a medical doctor, accused Biden of having undergone extensive plastic surgery to appear younger.[41] According to Biden's 2024 annual physical examination, he is in good health for a man of his age. Biden is on medication for non-valvular atrial fibrillation (a form of irregular heartbeat), has an obstructive sleep apnea which he receives treatments through positive airway pressure, has a sensory peripheral neuropathy, and has a stiff gait due to spinal arthritis and the aftereffects of injury.[42]

According to a February 2024 poll, Biden's age and health were major or moderate concerns for 86% of voters generally,[43] up from 76% earlier in 2020.[44] According to another 2024 poll, most of those who voted for Biden in 2020 say they believe he is too old to be an effective president; The New York Times noted that these concerns "cut across generations, gender, race and education".[45] The Wall Street Journal has reported that, Biden's team has limited his schedule, personal interactions, media appearances, interviews, and unscripted exchanges in order to minimize concerns about his age and mental acuity.[46] Democrats were concerned about his ability to serve a second term, as he would be 86 years old by its end. Many of them were also concerned if he could beat Donald Trump a second time. After Trump's win in the presidential election, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett, who was the first sitting Democrat in Congress to openly call for President Joe Biden to withdraw from the 2024 United States presidential election after the first presidential debate, stated that “I only regret I didn’t do it earlier ... I believe that the only person in our caucus who doesn’t share some responsibility for the outcome is Dean Phillips, who came out early.”[47]

Democratic presidential primaries

[edit]

On October 27, 2023, Minnesota Congressman Dean Phillips formally launched his presidential campaign for the Democratic nomination. Phillips argued during his campaign that President Biden would be a weak general election candidate due to his age and low approval ratings.[48] On January 20, 2024, Phillips told Axios that he thought it would be "impossible" for Biden to do the job for four more years, and that "At that stage of life, it is impossible ultimately to conduct, to prosecute the office of the American presidency in the way that this country in the world needs right now. That is an absolute truth."[49] Phillips announced that he was dropping out on March 6, 2024, having not earned a single delegate up to that point.[50] After having already suspended his campaign, Phillips won three delegates in the Ohio primary and won one delegate in the Nebraska primary.[51][52] Congressman Phillips was still on the ballot for the Democratic Party's primary election days in Ohio and Nebraska, where he gained his delegates by meeting the 15% threshold of votes needed to receive a delegate in a congressional district in Ohio's 2nd, 6th, and 14th districts[53] and by receiving the most votes of any candidate in Logan County, Nebraska.[54]

Longevity

[edit]

In January 2024, Dr. Jay Olshansky gave Biden a close to 75% chance of living through a second term based on publicly available information about his health. This is about a 10% better survival chance when compared to other men his age.[55][56]

February 2024

[edit]

Upon concluding the investigation into Biden's handling of classified documents, special counsel Robert Hur suggested that Biden would be able to present himself to a jury as an "elderly man with poor memory" and wrote that his memory "appeared to have significant limitations".[57] White House lawyers disputed this characterization,[44] and Biden rejected the claim in a televised press conference on the day the special counsel's report was released; during the conference, he referred to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi as President of Mexico.[58] At the time, liberal commentators and Democratic officials accused Hur of partisanship and including unnecessary detail.[8][7]

The House Judiciary Committee and the Oversight Committee, both controlled by Republicans at that time, issued subpoenas for the full audio recordings of the interviews.[59] A transcript had already been released to the committees. The White House withheld the recordings, accusing the Republicans of wishing to distort the audio for political gain.[60] Ultimately, House Republicans passed a motion to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress for not complying with the congressional subpoenas to release the recordings. The Department of Justice concluded that Garland did not commit a crime and did not charge him.[61]

June–July 2024

[edit]

June 2024 debate

[edit]

On June 27, 2024, Biden took part in the first presidential debate. The debate reinforced concerns about Biden's age, with Biden appearing confused and disoriented during its first half, giving meandering answers to questions, particularly on health policy.[62] The New York Times reporter Reid Epstein wondered whether voters would see him as someone physically able to run the country, even if they preferred his policies to Trump's.[63] Some Democrats were unsure whether he should continue his campaign.[64][65] Many officials and foreign leaders who encountered Biden in the months to year preceding the debate noticed he was increasingly frail, tired, meandering, and less lucid in his speech. In many parts of Europe, this led to concern about a second Trump presidency.[66] Biden declined to undergo a cognitive exam such as the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, saying that he has "a cognitive test every single day" in performing his presidential duties.[67] It later emerged that a neurologist specializing in Parkinson's disease had met this year with Physician to the President Kevin O'Connor; O'Connor and the White House both said Biden was not being treated for the disease and that other officials use O'Connor as their physician.[68][69][70]

COVID-19 diagnosis

[edit]

On July 17, 2024, Biden tested positive for COVID-19. He experienced mild symptoms, including a cough, runny nose, and "general malaise".[71] Images of him looking frail exiting from Air Force One on the way to isolation fuelled further speculation on Biden's health.[72]

Withdrawal from 2024 presidential campaign

[edit]
Biden speaking about his earlier decision to withdraw his candidacy in an Oval Office address, July 24, 2024

On July 21, 2024, Joe Biden, the incumbent president of the United States, announced his withdrawal from the 2024 United States presidential election and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement. Harris subsequently received the Democratic nomination, but ultimately lost the election to former President Donald Trump.

Biden, a Democrat, had announced that he would run for re-election in the 2024 presidential election on April 25, 2023, with Harris again as his running mate.[73] Biden had the support of almost all major donors in Democratic Party politics and went on to win an overwhelming majority of delegates in the 2024 Democratic Party presidential primaries. He was already considered the presumptive nominee before the primaries were over. However, public concerns about Biden's age and health had emerged during his presidency, particularly about his fitness for the office and ability to carry out a second term.

These concerns increased after the first 2024 presidential debate, between Biden and Republican Party candidate Donald Trump on June 27, 2024. Biden's performance was widely criticized, with commentators noting he frequently lost his train of thought and gave meandering answers, had a faltering appearance, spoke with a hoarse voice, and failed to recall statistics or coherently express his opinion on several occasions.[74] Biden subsequently faced calls to withdraw from the race from fellow Democrats[75] and from the editorial boards of major news outlets.[76][77] By July 19, 2024, more than 30 senior Democrats had called for him to withdraw.[78]

Biden repeatedly insisted for weeks after the debate that he would remain a candidate, despite numerous calls for him to withdraw.[79] However, on July 21, 2024, he withdrew his candidacy via a signed letter posted on his personal Twitter account, writing that this was "in the best interest of my party and the country", while stating that he would continue serving as president until the conclusion of his term.[80] Biden was the first incumbent president since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968 to withdraw from a reelection race, the first since the 19th century to withdraw after serving only one term,[a] and the only major party presumptive nominee to withdraw after already winning the primaries.[81][83]

Research on age and leadership

[edit]

An article in July 2024 in The Conversation by finance professor Brandon Cline showed that around half of the 1500 largest public companies in the U.S. force their CEOs to retire when they turn 65 or so because of declining performance, with nearly 70% of S&P 500 companies having mandatory retirement ages for their boards in the mid-70s. Cline noted that a similar rule would have made both Trump and Biden ineligible to run in 2024 and argues that the evidence supporting a mandatory retirement age is strong. He cited studies showing that CEOs over 65 hired and fired fewer people, made fewer deals, were less active overall and that age-related changes impair judgment.[84]

See also

[edit]

Explanatory notes

[edit]
  1. ^ All three incumbents in the 20th century to withdraw or not seek reelection—Calvin Coolidge, Harry S. Truman, and Lyndon B. Johnson—had succeeded to the presidency when their predecessor died, then won a full term in their own right.[81] Three presidents in the 1800s made and kept pledges to serve only one term, most recently Rutherford B. Hayes.[82]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Langer, Gary (July 11, 2024). "Biden and Trump tied despite debate, as 67% call for president to drop out: POLL". ABC News. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  2. ^ Klein, Betsy (November 20, 2023). "Biden's birthday prompts debate about age and wisdom of America's oldest president | CNN Politics". CNN. Archived from the original on February 11, 2024. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Baker, Peter (November 19, 2023). "For an Aging President, a Birthday With a Bite". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on March 8, 2024. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  4. ^ "Rep. Schiff calls on Biden to drop out, citing 'serious concerns' that he can't win". Los Angeles Times. July 17, 2024. Archived from the original on July 19, 2024. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  5. ^ "Biden steps aside as Democratic presidential nominee". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on July 21, 2024. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  6. ^ Matza, Max (February 8, 2024). "No charge for Biden over classified documents but report questions memory". Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Khardori, Ankush (March 12, 2024). "A Warning for Democrats on the Hur Report". Politico. Archived from the original on March 12, 2024.
  8. ^ a b Pengelly, Martin (February 9, 2024). "Special counsel report on Biden a 'partisan hit job', Democrats say". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  9. ^ Altman, Lawrence K. (February 23, 1988). "The Doctor's World; Subtle Clues Are Often The Only Warnings Of Perilous Aneurysms". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 28, 2020. Retrieved August 23, 2008.
  10. ^ a b c Altman, Lawrence K. (October 19, 2008). "Many Holes in Disclosure of Nominees' Health". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 25, 2010. Retrieved October 26, 2008.
  11. ^ "Biden Resting After Surgery For Second Brain Aneurysm". The New York Times. Associated Press. May 4, 1988. Archived from the original on January 5, 2021. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  12. ^ Woodward, Calvin (August 23, 2008). "V.P. candidate profile: Sen. Joe Biden". The Seattle Times. Associated Press. Archived from the original on December 30, 2019. Retrieved September 7, 2008.
  13. ^ "Is Biden Too Old to Run for President Again?". Bloomberg News. Associated Press. December 14, 2018. Archived from the original on February 17, 2022. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  14. ^ Shafer, Jack (August 2, 2019). "Is Joe Biden Too Old?". Politico. Archived from the original on July 11, 2024. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  15. ^ Erickson, Bo (June 4, 2019). "When a young Joe Biden used his opponent's age against him - CBS News". CBS News. Archived from the original on October 25, 2021. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  16. ^ Barr, Luke (September 8, 2020). "Russia spreading disinformation about Biden's mental health: DHS". ABC News. Archived from the original on September 10, 2020. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  17. ^ Margolin, Josh; Bruggeman, Lucien; Steakin, Will; Karl, Jonathan (September 2, 2020). "DHS withheld July intelligence bulletin calling out Russian attack on Biden's mental health". ABC News. Archived from the original on September 10, 2020. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  18. ^ Nuzzi, Olivia (October 27, 2019). "Joe Biden's Zombie Campaign". Intelligencer. New York. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  19. ^ Saenz, Arlette (April 25, 2019). "Joe Biden announces he is running for president in 2020". CNN. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
  20. ^ Caputo, Mark (August 2, 2019). "It's not just Trump questioning Biden's age. Democrats are, too". Politico. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
  21. ^ Wolf, Zachary (September 11, 2019). "The 2020 race is dominated by 70-somethings". CNN. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
  22. ^ Elving, Ron (August 16, 2020). "Joe Biden's Long And Rocky Road To The Democratic Nomination". NPR. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
  23. ^ Seitz-Wald, Alex (January 5, 2020). "The unsinkable Joe Biden? Many months and many gaffes later, Biden is still ahead". NBC. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
  24. ^ Caputo, Marc (June 24, 2020). "Dems warm to Biden's bunker strategy". Politico. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
  25. ^ Conklin, Audrey (October 13, 2020). "Trump claims Biden's 'dementia' is 'rapidly getting worse' after campaign trail gaffes". Fox News. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
  26. ^ Chait, Jonathan (October 23, 2020). "Trump's Plan to Make Biden Look Senile Disappeared Without a Trace". Intelligencer. Archived from the original on August 13, 2022. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
  27. ^ Stuart, Arlette Saenz,Elizabeth (March 5, 2023). "Jill Biden says the idea of a competency test for elderly politicians is 'ridiculous' | CNN Politics". CNN. Archived from the original on June 24, 2023. Retrieved June 24, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  28. ^ Klawans, Justin (November 19, 2021). "Joe Biden Didn't Take Cognitive Test in Annual Exam, Sanjay Gupta Says". Newsweek. Archived from the original on June 24, 2023. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  29. ^ Keene, Houston (May 12, 2023). "Dozens of House Republicans demand Biden take cognitive test or drop out of 2024 race". Fox News. Archived from the original on June 24, 2023. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  30. ^ Saric, Ivana (July 3, 2024). "How Biden went from "bridge" candidate to two-term hopeful". Axios. Archived from the original on July 25, 2024. Retrieved July 13, 2024. Between the lines: Biden's campaign comments likely signaled that he was only running because of who his opponent was, Anthony Fowler, a professor at the University of Chicago's Harris School of Public Policy, told Axios. "You could argue he's trying to kind of have it both ways. He's trying to kind of tell people, 'Don't worry, I'm only running for one term,' without ever actually explicitly promising that," Fowler said.
  31. ^ Duhon, Clara (November 21, 2023). "Biden marks '146th birthday' with flaming cake". The Hill. Archived from the original on March 8, 2024. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  32. ^ "Biden celebrates his 81st birthday with jokes as the White House stresses his experience and stamina". AP News. November 20, 2023. Archived from the original on March 8, 2024. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  33. ^ Stelter, Brian (July 3, 2024). "Did the media botch the Biden age story?". Vox. Archived from the original on July 11, 2024. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  34. ^ "Joe Biden Jokes About Turning 81 with Fiery Cake: 'You Run Out of Space for Candles!'". Peoplemag. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
  35. ^ "Biden marks '146th birthday' with flaming cake". Yahoo News. November 21, 2023. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
  36. ^ Bidgood, Jess (July 1, 2024). "The Problem in Plain Sight". The New York Times. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  37. ^ Berry, Jason (July 2, 2024). "James Carville calls on Democratic party to 'deliver change' and replace Biden". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on July 9, 2024. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  38. ^ Klein, Ezra (February 16, 2024). "Democrats Have a Better Option Than Biden". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on July 12, 2024. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  39. ^ "Joe Biden should not seek re-election". The Economist. November 10, 2022. ISSN 0013-0613. Archived from the original on July 11, 2024. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  40. ^ Garrison, Joey (July 29, 2022). "Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips says he doesn't want Biden to run for reelection in 2024". USA Today. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  41. ^ Phillips, Aleks (July 12, 2023). "Joe Biden accused of having plastic surgery by Republican: "So much botox"". Newsweek. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  42. ^ "White House Health Summmary" (PDF). Whitehouse.gov. February 23, 2024. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  43. ^ Garrity, Kelly (February 11, 2024). "Poll: Overwhelming majority of Americans think Biden is too old for another term". Politico. Archived from the original on February 13, 2024. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  44. ^ a b "Age isn't just a number. It's a profound and growing problem for Biden". Politico. February 8, 2024. Archived from the original on February 9, 2024. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  45. ^ Lerer, Lisa; Igielnik, Ruth (March 3, 2024). "Majority of Biden's 2020 Voters Now Say He's Too Old to Be Effective". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 3, 2024. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  46. ^ Restuccia, Andrew; Linskey, Annie; Glazer, Emily; Ballhaus, Rebecca; Schwartzel, Erich (July 8, 2024). "How Biden's Inner Circle Worked to Keep Signs of Aging Under Wraps". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  47. ^ Schnell, Mychael; Lillis, Mike (November 12, 2024). "Shellshocked Dems return to Capitol to reckon with drubbing". The Hill. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
  48. ^ John, Arit; McKend, Eva; Pellish, Aaron (October 27, 2023). "House Democrat Dean Phillips launches primary challenge against President Biden". CNN. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  49. ^ Thompson, Alex (January 20, 2024). "Dean Phillips' lonely campaign cuts deeper at Biden's age". Axios. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  50. ^ Bettin, Anthony (March 6, 2024). "Rep. Dean Phillips, Minnesota Democrat, says he is suspending presidential campaign". CBS News. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  51. ^ "2024 Presidential Primary Delegate Tracker". USA Today. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
  52. ^ "US election 2024 primaries: follow live results". The Guardian. March 19, 2024. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
  53. ^ Askarinam, Leah; Day, Chad (April 23, 2024). "Dean Phillips gains his first delegates. Here's why they'll likely vote for Biden at the convention". Associated Press. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
  54. ^ "Nebraska Statewide and Presidential Primary Democratic Results". USA Today. May 17, 2024. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
  55. ^ "Heart attacks, strokes, dementia—can Biden and Trump beat the odds?". The Economist. January 9, 2024. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved August 19, 2024. Dr Olshansky stated on January 7th, in an article in the Hill, a Washington-based newspaper, that, 'Today his [Mr Biden's] chances of surviving through a second term in office are close to 75% (about 10% better survival than for an average man his age). Similar, although slightly less favourable survival prospects are present for Trump.'
  56. ^ Olshansky, S. Jay; Barnes, Ben; Willcox, Bradley (January 7, 2024). "Opinion: Is Joe Biden a superager? We're asking all the wrong questions". The Hill.
  57. ^ Matza, Max (February 8, 2024). "No charge for Biden over classified documents but report questions memory". BBC News. Archived from the original on February 9, 2024. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  58. ^ Lebowitz, Megan; Alba, Monica; Lee, Carol E. (February 9, 2024). "'How in the hell dare he': Biden strikes defiant tone on special counsel report". NBC News. Archived from the original on February 9, 2024. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  59. ^ Brown, Jaala; Legare, Robert (April 8, 2024). "Justice Department rejects House GOP bid to obtain audio of Biden interview with special counsel". CBS News. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
  60. ^ Brett Samuels, Rebecca Beitsch (May 16, 2024). "Biden invokes executive privilege on special counsel Robert Hur's recording demanded by GOP". The Hill. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  61. ^ Matza, Max (June 14, 2024). "US declines to charge Merrick Garland for contempt of Congress". BBC. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  62. ^ "A halting Biden tries to confront Trump at debate but stirs Democratic panic about his candidacy". Associated Press. June 27, 2024. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  63. ^ Lemon, James; Zappone, Chris; McSweeney, Jessica; Tomazin, Farrah; Ralston, Nick (June 28, 2024). "US presidential debate LIVE updates: Donald Trump, Joe Biden clash over abortion, economy and foreign affairs ahead of 2024 US election". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  64. ^ Stein, Chris (June 27, 2024). "Democrats lament 'really disappointing' Biden debate – reports". The Guardian. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  65. ^ Daniels, Eugene (June 27, 2024). "Dems freak out over Biden's debate performance: 'Biden is toast'". Politico. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  66. ^ Abutaleb, Yasmeen; Dawsey, Josh; Sacchetti, Maria; Hudson, John; Diamond, Dan (July 6, 2024). "Biden's aging is seen as accelerating; lapses described as more common". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on July 11, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  67. ^ Kanno-Youngs, Zolan (July 6, 2024). "Biden Says He Has Not Had a Cognitive Test and Doesn't Need One". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 9, 2024. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  68. ^ Helmore, Edward (July 6, 2024). "Biden's doctor reportedly met with top neurologist at White House". The Guardian. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  69. ^ Baumgaertner, Emily; Baker, Peter (July 8, 2024). "Parkinson's Expert Visited the White House Eight Times in Eight Months". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 18, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  70. ^ "President Biden not being treated for Parkinson's, White House says, amid questions over doctor's visit". Sky News. July 9, 2024. Archived from the original on July 10, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  71. ^ Olorunnipa, Toluse; Nirappil, Fenit (July 20, 2024). "Biden tests positive for covid, cancels events amid mild symptoms". Washington Post. Archived from the original on July 22, 2024. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  72. ^ Kanno-Youngs, Zolan (July 18, 2024). "From Buoyant to Frail: Two Days in Las Vegas as Biden Tests Positive". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 18, 2024. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  73. ^ Miller, Zeke (April 25, 2023). "Biden announces 2024 reelection bid: 'Let's finish this job'". Associated Press. Washington, D.C. Archived from the original on July 28, 2024. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  74. ^
  75. ^ Allen, Jonathan (June 28, 2024). "Some Democrats start calling for Biden to step aside and 'throw in the towel' on 2024". NBC News. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  76. ^ "To Serve His Country, President Biden Should Leave the Race". The New York Times. June 28, 2024. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  77. ^ Robertson, Nick (June 30, 2024). "These major media outlets have called for Biden to drop out". The Hill. Archived from the original on July 6, 2024. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
  78. ^ Tait, Robert; Gambino, Lauren (July 19, 2024). "Pressure mounts on Biden as tally of Democrats urging withdrawal passes 30". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on July 22, 2024. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
  79. ^ Keith, Tamara; Shivaram, Deepa (July 3, 2024). "'I'm in this race to the end,' Biden tells campaign staffers". NPR. Archived from the original on July 3, 2024. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  80. ^ Shear, Michael D. (July 21, 2024). "Live Updates: Biden Drops Out of Presidential Race, Endorses Harris". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on July 21, 2024. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  81. ^ a b Klassen, Thomas (July 21, 2024). "Biden steps aside, setting in motion an unprecedented period in American politics". The Conversation. Archived from the original on July 22, 2024. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  82. ^ Gendler, Alex (July 23, 2024). "US presidents who did not seek reelection". Voice of America. Archived from the original on July 24, 2024. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  83. ^ Kenning, Chris; Samuelsohn, Darren. "'It's unprecedented': Biden's exit is a history-making moment in the American presidency". USA Today. Archived from the original on July 25, 2024. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  84. ^ Cline, Brandon (July 19, 2024). "Age would prevent Trump and Biden from running many top companies − and for good reason". The Conversation. Retrieved September 9, 2024.