(Headline USA) President Joe Biden privately admitted that he “felt tired” amidst concerns about his age and mental fitness, according to a new book.
The 80-year-old’s health has become a major concern and “hindrance,” according to author Franklin Foer, whose book The Last Politician releases this fall.
“It was striking that he took so few morning meetings or presided over so few public events before 10 a.m.,” Foer wrote. “His public persona reflected physical decline and time’s dulling of mental faculties that no pill or exercise regime can resist. In private, he would occasionally admit that he felt tired.”
Foer’s reporting directly contradicts claims by the White House that Biden works a full schedule and is able to meet the demands of the job.
“I can tell you, having traveled with him a fair amount, sometimes he’s hard to keep up with,” former White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.
Despite the White House’s spin, the vast majority of voters on both sides of the political aisle find Biden’s age concerning, with 89% of Republicans and 69% of Democrats saying they are worried his health will affect his presidency, according to a recent poll.
“This is something that the White House, the Biden campaign cannot avoid. It is a reality,” MSNBC contributor Eugene Robinson said this week.
“It might be uncomfortable for some people to talk about, but when you have private dinner parties, when you go out and at the ice cream place in the summer, people do,” he added. “Even Democrats who like Joe Biden and plan to support him, they do have concerns about his age.”
Biden himself has acknowledged his age is a “legitimate concern” for voters. However, in private he has vented to allies about the media coverage of his gaffes and falls.
“You think I don’t know how f***ing old I am?” Biden told one aide, according to Politico.
