The health of the oldest American president questions many voters. This is why Joe Biden is playing the transparency card. Thursday, February 16, he completes his routine medical checkup, and the White House has promised to release the doctor's report. What she had already done in November 2021, during the Democrat's previous health check. The content of this report will be crucial for the 80-year-old president, who has said he "intends" to run again in 2024 after the campaign has already begun.
Joe Biden, despite lackluster polls, has been saying for some time that he "intends" to run, and therefore possibly face his predecessor, Donald Trump, who is already officially in the race. But he assured, just a few days ago, that he had not made a "final" decision.
On November 19, 2021, the Democrat, who also wants this transparency on his health to distinguish himself from the former Republican president, had already submitted to a complete examination. Joe Biden had undergone a colonoscopy that day under general anesthesia. He had transferred his powers for an hour and twenty-five minutes to Vice President Kamala Harris, who briefly became the first woman to hold presidential prerogatives in United States history.
The doctor, Kevin O'Connor, had painted a picture of a man who was "healthy", "vigorous" and "fit" for his heavy duty. But he had also taken on the burden of age, with its share of medications to take and minor ailments. The practitioner had noted Joe Biden's stiffer gait, attributing it to a "mild" nerve condition affecting his feet. He had also reported a frequent cough, caused by gastroesophageal reflux.
Joe Biden does not smoke, drink, play sports, and has had no major health concerns since undergoing brain surgery in 1988. He tested positive for Covid-19 last July without presenting any symptoms. serious form of the disease. The American president has so far shown an endurance unusual for his age, linking public interventions and trips.
But his age is a frequent angle of attack from the Republican opposition. Some opponents of the president even assure that he would no longer have all his head, given certain moments of confusion and his slurred speech. Nikki Haley, a 51-year-old Republican who has just entered the race for 2024, called on Wednesday for intellectual aptitude tests for any elected official over the age of 75. This would also apply to former President Donald Trump, 76, whom she is challenging with her candidacy.
The former ambassador to the UN hopes to capitalize on a desire for renewal among the American electorate, which according to the polls does not want a second term for Biden more than a new Trump presidency. If he does, Joe Biden will face both the rigors of an election campaign and the demands of his office. So far, he answers questions about his age with jokes or this pirouette: "Watch me at work!" »
