Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., speaks at an event commemorating the anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act at the White House on August 16, 2023 in Washington.
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Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, both Democrats, said Tuesday that President Joe Biden’s first debate with former President Donald Trump on Thursday It’s fair to raise concerns about his health after stumbling into midfield.
“I think it’s a legitimate question, ‘Is this a sideshow or is this a condition?'” Pelosi said on MSNBC. interviewpointing out that this question should be asked of Biden and Trump.
Shortly after, in another interview on MSNBC, Clyburn responded that it was reasonable to wonder whether Biden’s debate performance was a sign of a larger medical problem: “I have to wait for the medical experts to give their opinion, Since I’m not a doctor, I don’t know the extent to which this is happening.
Clyburn added that he plans to have a phone call with Biden later Tuesday.
In response to Pelosi and Clyburn’s comments, the White House said it was “fair” to question the president’s cognitive abilities but that the administration had been transparent enough about his medical records.
“I understand the question. It’s a fair question,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a press briefing on Tuesday when asked about Pelosi’s remarks. “As far as his medical care For the record, we have been transparent and we release detailed reports from his medical team every year.”
She added that despite Biden’s poor debate performance, Biden’s medical team did not believe further cognitive testing was necessary.
Jean-Pierre also said Biden’s doctor Kevin O’Connor had no concerns about the president’s medical condition after the debate: “Not at all.”
Pelosi and Clyburn’s comments come as Democrats are closely watching the extent of the damage caused by Biden’s difficult debates. Multiple polls so far find the rematch between Biden and Trump remains a near tie.
a new one CNN poll The survey released on Tuesday showed Trump leading Biden by 6 percentage points in a head-to-head matchup, the same result as an April survey. The margin of error for this question is plus or minus 3.7 percentage points.
The poll surveyed 1,045 registered voters between June 28 and 30 (three days after the debate), meaning it represents the immediate reactions of respondents.
Both Democrats reiterated their support for Biden as long as he remains in the presidential race.
“I hope the ticket continues to be Biden-Harris and then we’ll see what happens after the next election,” Clyburn said.
President Joe Biden is greeted by U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn upon arrival at Columbia Metropolitan Airport in West Columbia, South Carolina, on January 27, 2024.
Kent Nishimura | AFP | Getty Images
Clyburn and Pelosi are two of Biden’s closest allies. Clyburn was particularly critical to Biden’s victory in 2020, his endorsement providing a critical boost and helping the president win over black voters.
But their comments Tuesday marked the first time some high-profile Democrats have publicly confirmed recent concerns about the president’s ability to win in the race.
Hours after Pelosi appeared on MSNBC, her spokesman, Ian Krager, doubled down on his support for the president.
“Speaker Pelosi has full confidence in President Biden and looks forward to participating in his inauguration on January 20, 2025,” Cragg said in a statement to CNBC.
While Pelosi worked to emphasize her support for Biden, she earlier acknowledged that people were worried about the president, opening the door for other party members to do the same.
U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, on Tuesday became the first Democrat to formally call on Biden to withdraw from the presidential race.
“Recognizing that, unlike Trump, President Biden’s first commitment has always been to our country, not himself, I hope he will make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw,” Doggett said in the release. “I respectfully appeal to him to do so. “
Biden campaign officials responded in a statement to NBC News that the president would “remain” in the race.
Late Tuesday, Adam FrischThe Democratic challenger who nearly defeated Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert in Colorado last election cycle followed suit: “We deserve better. President Biden should do what’s best for the country and drop out of the race.” “
The Biden campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Pelosi and Clyburn’s television appearance.
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