In a recent development, Louisiana Republican and House Speaker Mike Johnson has raised the possibility of probing Democrats over what he has termed a "massive concealment" concerning the alleged deteriorating health of President Joe Biden.
According to Newsweek, Johnson, in a conversation with Jake Tapper on CNN, claimed that Democrats have "obstructed the public from witnessing what those in close quarters have observed." Johnson stated, "Now that the secret is out, you can hear from the Republican speaker to confirm what everyone else has been aware of and observed. The Democrats have been complicit in a massive concealment here. He's not the same Joe Biden that he was four years ago when he campaigned for office. He's not capable of doing it now."
Johnson further elaborated, "And it's not his fault. No one can control how they age and how their faculties decline. But that's clearly happening here and that's something that must be addressed."
Upon hearing Johnson's "concealment" comment, Tapper inquired if the House speaker had considered "an investigation by Congress or even law enforcement." Johnson responded, "that is something we've discussed."
Johnson continued, "Until the debate three weeks ago, you've seen in recent weeks, House Democrats and others appearing on TV, regularly, making statements like 'Joe Biden is running circles around us, and he could compete in the Olympics.' It's simply laughable. They all knew that wasn't the truth.
"Every time I'd hear one of those statements, I couldn't believe they were making them. And that is why they got him through the process of winning the primary, because they presented a false image of his capabilities, now the entire country sees it, and they've backed themselves into a corner because of that."
During the June 27 presidential debate against Republican nominee Donald Trump, Biden seemed to lose his train of thought mid-sentence several times. His team later attributed this to a cold and jet lag. In the ensuing weeks, notable Democrats, including members of Congress and actor George Clooney, a top party donor, publicly urged Biden to step aside to allow a different nominee to run. However, Biden and his top advisers have maintained that he is not withdrawing from the race.
Johnson also admitted to Tapper that he personally perceived Biden as "cognitively impaired" based on recent interactions with him. However, he refrained from voicing this due to his concerns "about the projection of weakness on the world stage at a very dangerous time."
Prior to his underwhelming debate performance last month, Biden, 81, had long been subject to concerns about his age and suitability for another term in office. Trump, 78, has also faced questions about his age and cognitive ability. Biden has also experienced record-breaking low approval ratings at times since he assumed office in January 2021.
Currently, the president is in isolation at his Delaware home, battling a COVID-19 infection, but the pressure for him to withdraw from the 2024 race continues to escalate.
There have been reports suggesting that the president is privately open to the idea of stepping down. Biden has reportedly begun questioning if Vice President Kamala Harris, considered the favorite to replace him if he were to withdraw, could defeat Trump in November.
While the future remains uncertain, it is clear that the debate over Biden's health and his potential withdrawal from the 2024 race will continue to be a topic of intense discussion in the coming months.
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