Biden, aides urged to be open about his health
The Peninsula
Washington: Democrats shocked by Joe Biden s dismal debate performance urged the US president on Tuesday to be transparent about his mental fitness as...
Washington: Democrats shocked by Joe Biden's dismal debate performance urged the US president on Tuesday to be transparent about his mental fitness as he faced the first call from his own side to drop out of the election.
Some supporters have expressed growing doubts about the 81-year-old over last week's televised showdown with Donald Trump, after Biden stumbled over his words and lost his train of thought -- exacerbating fears about his age.
Congressman Lloyd Doggett became the first Democratic lawmaker to publicly call on Biden to make way for another candidate, saying he was hopeful the president would "make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw."
Nancy Pelosi, a former House speaker and a grandee of the Democratic Party, said in her own statement it was "legitimate" to ask whether Biden's debate disaster was indicative of a deeper problem rather than a one-off.
She praised Biden's vision and "strategic thinking" in an interview with cable network MSNBC -- but admitted he had had a "bad night" and said it was fair to raise the mental acuity of "both candidates."
