Biden says ‘medical condition’ could prompt him to drop out ‘if doctors came to me’
President Biden said in a new interview that he would consider dropping out if he was diagnosed with a “medical condition” by doctors — giving the clearest indication yet that he may be faltering in his vow to seek a second term.
The 81-year-old president made the remark in a BET interview taped Tuesday when asked what it would take to prompt him to reconsider his candidacy.
“If I had some medical condition that emerged, if somebody, if doctors came to me and said, you got this problem and that problem,” Biden said in an excerpt released Wednesday.
In the same interview, Biden said that he feels the need to run again — rather than serve as a “transitional” leader, as he said in 2020 — because the country is “so divided.”
“I said I was going to be a transitional candidate, and I thought I would be able to move on from this and pass it on to somebody else,” he said. “But I didn’t anticipate things getting so, so, so divided. And quite frankly, I think the only thing age brings is a little bit of wisdom.”
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) on Wednesday became the 21st House Democrat to call on Biden to step aside, saying that “it is time for him to pass the torch.”
Vice President Kamala Harris, 59, is widely considered the most likely replacement candidate should Biden drop out before the Nov. 5 election — though some Democrats fear she could fare even worse.
Many doctors who studied Biden’s public remarks said he may have Parkinson’s disease or a related condition.
But the White House has thus far insisted that Biden doesn’t need a fresh medical exam following his his unsteady, confused debate performance on June 27, which provoked panic from fellow Democrats about his cognitive fitness for another four-year term.
“As it relates to, you know, something like a cognitive test… the medical team said it is not warranted in this case,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said July 2.
“We have put forward a thorough, transparent annual report on his health. So, they have said that is not warranted. It is not necessary.”
The president was evaluated by a neurologist, Dr. Kevin Cannard, in January ahead of the release of a February annual physical report, the White House says.
Biden thus far has rebuffed calls to consider retiring despite a groundswell of concern from Democrats that he’s on track for a landslide loss to former President Donald Trump, the 78-year-old Republican nominee.
The Democratic National Committee plans to hold a virtual vote to confirm Biden as the party’s nominee next month — saying earlier Wednesday that the digital roll call would begin no earlier than Aug. 1 after congressional critics slammed an earlier plan to begin voting within days.
