It was tough enough for Biden to reassure voters about his heath before Hur’s report hit like a thunderclap Thursday afternoon, prompting members of his own party to question whether he could remain the nominee in November.
“It’s a nightmare,” said a Democratic House member who asked to speak anonymously to provide a frank assessment, adding that “it weakens President Biden electorally, and Donald Trump would be a disaster and an authoritarian.”
“For Democrats, we’re in a grim situation.”
Biden wasted little time before attempting to minimize the fallout. He held an unexpected exchange with reporters in the White House on Thursday night, in which he disputed Hur's assessment of his mental acuity.
Biden grew emotional when invoking the part of the report addressing the date of his son's death.
"How in the hell dare you raise that?" Biden said. "Frankly, when I was asked the question I thought to myself, 'It wasn't any of their damn business.' "
The Hur report strips away the defenses that Biden’s press operation has used to protect him and raises fresh doubts about whether Biden is up to the rigors of the presidency, Democratic strategists said in interviews.
“This is beyond devastating,” said another Democratic operative, speaking on condition of anonymity to talk candidly about Biden’s shortcomings. “It confirms every doubt and concern that voters have. If the only reason they didn’t charge him is because he’s too old to be charged, then how can he be president of the United States?”
@K3ynesianFaithGreen4mos4MO
It's time for the people behind the scenes in the White House and in the Dem Party to counsel him out...otherwise, Biden is headed for a near certain loss in November.
@M4jorityTermiteRepublican4mos4MO
I simply do not understand why Democrats have gone with this guy. He implied he would only serve one term. A younger candidate would perform better against Trump. Plus he is saddled with Harris.
@ResoluteTealDemocrat4mos4MO
Reagan was only in his late middle-'70s and halfway through his second term when he suffered from a severe cognitive decline. I'm 72. I know that there is decline with age. I don't care how good a job he's done — Biden was selfish to insist on a second term. A lot of people are going to vote for Trump based on this issue (and yes, I know that a somewhat confused old man beats an ignoramus).
@TwoPartyPhilGreen4mos4MO
Makes me sympathize with Biden all the more for having to manage an undeserving, ill-intentioned and nasty American public.
@ResoluteTealDemocrat4mos4MO
Those eight words were a carefully crafted hit job by a republican appointee in order to inflict maximum damage. The president clearly feels that his lifetime of working with others across the aisle would protect him from attacks like this. I get that he is hurt, but I hope that he learns from this and accepts that today’s GOP will stop at nothing to hurt his chances in November. Maybe now he’ll take the gloves off.
@JudicialChileDemocrat4mos4MO
I think what should be questioned is the mental acuity of the press for taking these conclusions by an obviously biased prosecutor at face value. Not to mention it was they who embarrassed themselves at Biden’s press conference last night with their shrieking unintelligible questions over one another. What professionalism!
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