In a recent encounter at Philadelphia International Airport, President Joe Biden delivered a sharp retort to a reporter’s question about his plans for a potential second term, sparking widespread discussion. The exchange highlighted Biden’s quick wit amid ongoing concerns about his age and health.
As Biden disembarked from Air Force One for a series of campaign events, a reporter asked, “President Biden, will you be serving your full four-year term or handing over power to Vice President [Kamala] Harris?” Struggling to hear over the background noise, Biden responded, “Are you OK? Are you all right?”
According to HuffPost, Biden further quipped, “You’re not hurt are you? I said are you OK? Did you fall on your head or something?” before turning to the Democratic lawmakers standing beside him. The exchange underscored the constant scrutiny Biden faces regarding his age and capacity to serve another term. Despite the light-hearted tone of Biden’s retort, it touched on a serious issue. At 81, Biden’s ability to complete a second term has been a topic of debate, especially as it would end when he is 86 years old.
The timing of the exchange also coincided with renewed focus on Biden’s health following Special Counsel Robert Hur’s report on Biden’s handling of classified documents. The report noted, “uncovered evidence that President Biden willfully retained and disclosed classified materials after his vice-presidency when he was a private citizen…the evidence does not establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt…at trial, Mr. Biden would likely present himself to a jury, as he did during our interview of him, as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory…it would be difficult to convince a jury that they should convict him—by then a former president well into his eighties—of a serious felony that requires a mental state of willfulness.” Biden responded firmly to such claims, exclaiming, “I’m well-meaning and I’m an elderly man and I know what the hell I’m doing. How in the hell dare he raise that.”
This interaction with the reporter is not an isolated incident. According to CNN, Biden has a history of sharp exchanges with the press. In August, he called a question from Fox News’s Peter Doocy “lousy” when asked about his son, Hunter Biden, and his business dealings. Additionally, a hot mic once caught him referring to another Fox News reporter as a “stupid son of a bh” following a question about inflation. The reporter asked, “Would you take a question on inflation…?
Do you think inflation is a political liability in the midterms?” To which Biden replied, “It’s a great asset – more inflation…What a stupid son of a bh.” These incidents reflect the ongoing debate about Biden’s capability to lead, his quick-witted responses to the press, and the challenges he faces as one of the oldest presidents in U.S. history.