President Joe Biden informed Democratic governors on Wednesday that he had been cleared by a doctor following last week’s debate, contradicting earlier statements from the White House regarding his medical care.
During an in-person and video call meeting with the Democratic governors on Wednesday evening, Biden faced questions about his performance in the recent debate. When asked if he had received medical care afterward, Biden confirmed that a doctor had checked him out and found everything to be fine, according to two sources familiar with the exchange. This statement came just hours after White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre had stated that Biden had not undergone any medical exams since February, when he last had a thorough physical and various tests.
Politico first reported Biden’s comments, which come as he attempts to reassure his supporters amid growing concerns about his capability to perform his duties and defeat Donald Trump in the upcoming election.
In a radio interview with a Wisconsin station that aired on Thursday, Biden admitted, “I had a bad night. I screwed up, I made a mistake.” He added, “I didn’t have a good debate. That’s 90 minutes on stage. Look at what I’ve done in 3.5 years. I led the economy back from the brink of collapse.”
Acknowledging their previous omission, the White House now says that although Biden hasn’t had a physical since February, he has seen a doctor regularly for brief check-ins, including after the debate.
“Several days later, the President was seen to check on his cold and was recovering well,” White House spokesman Andrew Bates told NBC News in a statement Thursday morning. The White House also noted that Biden hasn’t undergone any neurological scans since the debate a week ago.
Like other presidents, Biden has a personal physician who travels with him and is available for any medical needs.
Biden’s meeting with the governors was organized by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, as part of a broader effort to address concerns about his debate performance and outline the path forward.