‘Nothing can slow him down and now he’s ready to finish the job,’ Jill Biden says
New NBC poll shows voter concern about Biden
68 percent are concerned that Biden does not possess the ‘necessary mental and physical health to be president’
By EMILY GOODIN, SENIOR U.S. POLITICAL REPORTER
Jill Biden has been reassuring donors that ‘nothing’ can slow down Joe Biden as a new poll shows a majority of voters remain concerned about his mental and physical health to be president.
‘Nothing can slow him down and now he’s ready to finish the job,’ the first lady said at fundraisers in Minnesota and Tennessee on Saturday, where donors gave millions of dollars to Biden’s re-election effort.
The president is coming off a series of stumbles: he tumbled at the Air Force Academy and had a near fall in Hiroshima when he tripped on a set of stairs earlier this month.
And a new NBC News poll shows voters remain concerned if President Biden, 80, has the stamina to complete another four years in office.
Jill Biden has defended President Joe Biden’s health, 80, at recent Democratic fundraisers
The poll found that 68 percent are concerned that Biden does not possess the ‘necessary mental and physical health to be president’ while 32 percent said that they have minor or no concerns.
Additionally it found that 60 percent are concerned about Biden ‘being re-elected and serving another four years as president’ while 40 percent are not concerned.
Biden is the oldest president in American history. If elected to a second term, he would be 86 when it’s finished.
When the NBC poll asked about whether voters are concerned about former President Donald Trump’s mental and physical health, 55 percent said they are concerned while 44 percent said they have minor or no concerns.
Trump turned 77 last week.
The poll was conducted June 16 to 20 among 1,000 registered voters and has a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.
Biden has dismissed questions about his age, particularly as he campaigns for a second term in the White House.
And the White House argues he has the experience and record of accomplishments to do the job.
His doctor has declared him healthy and fit to serve but has conceded the president’s gait is ‘stiff.’ Biden has tripped before – twice boarding Air Force One: in March 2023 and in March 2021.
‘Nothing can slow him down and now he’s ready to finish the job,’ Jill Biden said at fundraisers in Minnesota and Tennessee on Saturday – above the first lady at Nashville’s Pride Festival
President Joe Biden is helped up after falling at the Air Force Academy in early June – the incident renewed questions about his health
But the image of Biden sprawled on stage earlier this month during the Air Force Academy graduation ceremony – and then being helped up by officials – renewed questions that were already out there about his stamina.
The incident quickly went viral and showed Biden’s vulnerability to the age issue.
And the topic is not likely to go away any time soon.
Biden is running for a second term and will be out on the campaign trail in a way he wasn’t during the 2020 campaign when most of his events were virtual due to the COVID pandemic.
This time around, he’ll be on public display – and under greater scrutiny – in a number of events and settings, meaning it could be a matter of time until another trip or fall occurs.