New report from New York Times Reveal how President Biden tried and failed to prove his physical strength to critics who continually questioned his age and suitability for the job.
For the article detailing what Biden and his team did to try to reduce the public impression that he is a “stumbling” president, reporters spoke to people close to Biden who suggested the president wanted to show off his physical prowess to combat scrutiny of his age. .
“But sometimes, as people familiar with his thinking recall, Mr. Biden’s pride — coupled with the old-school view that showing physical vitality is the antidote to age-related concerns — can get in the way,” Friday’s report revealed.
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A new report from The New York Times reveals how President Joe Biden tried to show off his physical prowess to the public to counter scrutiny about his age, but it often backfired. ((AP Photo/Andrew Harnick))
As the newspaper noted, Mike Donlon, a longtime Biden strategist, told the president in 2022: “Your biggest problem is the perception of age.” The Times reported that Biden “acknowledged the concerns,” but “the warnings only served to inflame his defiant and competitive streak,” suggesting that this stance fueled his decision to run for re-election in 2023, after initially indicating he would not do so.
“Finally elected on his third attempt, Mr. Biden suggested he would be a transitional president,” the article said. “But his pride, combined with a string of legislative accomplishments and a strong performance in the 2022 midterm elections, has him seeking re-election and embarking on a fantasy mission to prove his vitality.”
Biden's pride reportedly prompted him to try to demonstrate his physical proficiency to the public. “Mr. Biden, who exercised on a stationary bike most days, made decisions that he thought would project strength. But, at times, they had the unintended effect of displaying his advanced years,” the report continued.
President Joe Biden falls during a graduation ceremony at the U.S. Air Force Academy, north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, on June 1, 2023. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images) (Brendan Smalowski)
The report provided several examples, the first of which was that Biden “refused to wear orthopedic shoes” afterward He broke his foot While playing with his dog before the inauguration ceremony.
“He didn't want to be seen as weak—a 78-year-old president with his hand on a Bible and a big contraption on his foot. He wore his leather boots instead.”
Sources told The Times that the fracture “did not heal” as a result, and contributed to “an unsteady gait that continued throughout his presidency.”
She also mentioned the cycling accident he had due to his desire to look presentable.
“Mr. Biden still wants to prove that he is physically fit,” the report said. “He enjoyed riding his bike at his home near Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, but during the summer of 2022, when he stopped to talk to a group of onlookers and reporters, his feet got stuck in toe cages on the pedals.”
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Biden fell off his bike Journalists captured it on camera. The newspaper added that the clip spread widely and became material for Biden's critics, who turned “Mr. Biden's downfall into a political attack on T-shirts.”
Then came “the worst incident,” referring to “Mr. Biden.” I tripped on a sandbag At the opening ceremony of the Air Force Academy.
“It took five seconds for Secret Service agents to help the president get back on his feet, which is a long time when you watch it on TV.”
The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
