Staff Reports
The health of President Joe Biden has become a topic of rampant speculation, especially considering his two bouts with COVID-19 over the last several years. One might think that, given the heightened concerns regarding the president’s fitness for duty, his medical advisor, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, would be making the rounds to reassure an increasingly skeptical public. Surprisingly, however, this has not been the case. Instead, the Biden administration seems to prefer silence over scrutiny, pushing out vague written statements that leave many pressing questions unanswered. It’s a classic case of an administration favoring opacity over transparency.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre went so far as to confidently assure the nation that nothing was amiss with Biden’s health, just before he delivered an unclear speech about “stepping back” from the presidential race. The multitude of unanswered questions surrounding Biden’s cognitive state seems to contribute to a growing perception that the administration is clinging to an outdated narrative. The apparent distrust of the press and the public raises eyebrows about what the administration might be trying to hide.
NEW: CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta calls on Biden to undergo cognitive testing, release results:
"Are we looking at episodes of something, or is this a condition that should be more fully investigated? And it really seems to be more of the latter."
Gupta outlines Biden's visible… pic.twitter.com/XHIdk5SxS8
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) July 5, 2024
In an unexpected turn of events, the New York Post’s Steven Nelson managed to corner Dr. O’Connor outside the White House driveway, a rare occurrence for a physician entrenched in a presidency that has been stingy with information. One might have anticipated a straightforward exchange, but instead, they were met with a doctor whose evasiveness could rival that of a seasoned politician. When Nelson first confirmed O’Connor’s identity, he was met with an uncertain and almost childish response, leading one to question how robust the commands of clarity could possibly be at that moment.
Nelson pressed the doctor on Biden’s health, and while O’Connor maintained a cheery façade claiming it was “excellent,” it was hard not to notice the stark contrast between the cheery pronouncement and the widespread unease that characterizes the public’s sentiment. The evasiveness continued when questioned about whether he would ever address reporters directly; the doctor simply stated “probably not.” This set off alarm bells for anyone aware of the standard under previous administrations, where transparency from the presidential physician was not the exception, but the rule.
When asked about Biden’s cognitive health, O’Connor’s almost whimsical assertion of “excellent” raised serious doubts. His refusal to conduct a cognitive test, citing that Biden is “here every day,” could be interpreted as a failure to acknowledge the elephant in the room, which is a president whose mental fitness many suspect might be questionable. It almost felt like a taunt directed at the press corps, suggesting they should simply trust in the administration’s status quo. Furthermore, O’Connor is described as a family friend and long-time associate of the Biden family, casting a shadow over whether his assessments can be viewed as impartial.
The crux of the matter lies in the president’s contradictory actions. If Biden truly has “excellent” mental acuity, as both he and O’Connor claim, then the rationale behind stepping back from his political ambitions is puzzling. The irony isn’t lost on anyone paying attention: it seems impossible for Biden to maintain both narratives without stretching credibility beyond its limits. The ongoing secrecy and avoidance strategies only serve to prompt more scrutiny and skepticism from the American populace. The pressing question remains: what does the administration hope to accomplish by withholding such essential information?
