OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
White House Dr. Kevin O’Connor claims that President Joe Biden is “fit for duty” after his annual physical examination.
According to O’Connor, “no new concerns” from Biden’s previous examination in 2023 were found during the examination this week.
The 81-year-old president is currently receiving treatment for obstructive sleep apnea, a new ailment. To solve the problem, Biden needs to use a Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) machine.
O’Connor said that Biden also experiences stiffened gait (moderate to severe degenerative osteoarthritic change/spondylosis), hyperlipidemia, gastroesophageal reflux, seasonal allergies, and sensory peripheral neuropathy of the feet.
“Each of these specialists have independently reviewed the chart, examined the President, and concur with my findings and recommendations. I have also solicited feedback from my respected colleagues – the other physicians in the White House Medical Unit, who see the patient every day. Each of these doctors has reviewed my report for accuracy. My conclusions have been further informed through discussions with several of my fellow professors from the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences,” O’Connor said in his statement.
O’Connor claimed that Biden remained “fit for duty and fully executes all of his responsibilities without any exemptions or accommodations.”
He also called Biden “healthy, active, and robust.”
Although Biden’s physical examination appears to have gone well, no cognitive exam was conducted, and O’Connor was not present at the White House press briefing on Wednesday, which would have allowed reporters to question him about Biden’s health.
A recent CNN-SSRS poll earlier this month found that 46% of Democrats expressed concern about his age.
According to a recent nationwide Quinnipiac University survey, just 35% of registered voters believe Biden is physically fit enough to serve a second term, while 34% believe he is mentally fit enough.
In a recent press conference, Biden attempted to address the matter directly, denouncing Special Counsel Robert Hur’s report that characterized him as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”
“I am well-meaning. And I’m an elderly man. And I know what the hell I’m doing. I’ve been president – I put this country back on its feet. I don’t need his recommendation,” a visibly seething Biden said at the time.
At an off-camera fundraiser a few weeks later, Biden acknowledged his age, saying “I may not run as fast as I used to.”
“I tell you what: I’ve been around long enough to know what’s going on,” he told a group of donors in Beverly Hills, California. “I’ve been around long enough to hopefully, with age, have a little bit of wisdom about how we can get things done.
A recent Harvard Harris Poll found that Biden suffers from a growing perception that he is no longer mentally fit to serve as commander-in-chief.
The poll found that less than one-third — 32 percent — of respondents believe that Biden is mentally fit to serve as President, while 68 percent expressed doubts about his mental acuity.
The results of the poll indicate that the findings could potentially have an impact on the 2024 presidential election. Despite Biden’s overall approval rating standing around 40 percent, the question of his mental fitness might play a decisive role for undecided voters.
Poll analysts said that Democrats must proactively address these concerns if they wish to secure a second term for Biden.
In hypothetical matchups, Trump maintains a five-point lead over Biden and a nine-point lead over Harris. In direct matchups, DeSantis essentially ties both Biden and Harris, the survey found.
A separate survey revealed similar findings and sentiments about Biden.
According to an NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll, a majority of Americans, by a 62 percent-to-36 percent margin, think Biden does not have the mental capacity to continue serving as president beyond his first term.
