Biden stood for nearly an hour and a half to shake the hands of the 921 graduates."
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Biden's Age and Health Concerns Grow Following Stumble at Graduation Ceremony. GETTY IMAGES |
Later on, the White House Communications Director said that "he Biden is doing fine.
Ben LaBolt tweeted after Biden's fall, "There was a small bit of sand on the stage, which he slipped on as he was making his way to greet the graduating cadets."
He's fine. There was a sandbag on stage while he was shaking hands. https://t.co/jP4sJiirHh
— Ben LaBolt (@WHCommsDir) June 1, 2023
president jokingly told reporters upon returning to the White House in the evening, "I caught my foot on a rug.".
An earlier White House report stated that Biden stumbled on a black sandbag while moving across the stage.
Footage of the incident shows Biden pointing to two black bags of sand being used as support for the teleprompter displaying his speech, while being assisted by an Air Force official and two Secret Service agents.
Biden was seen walking back to his seat unassisted, and then returning to his motorcade shortly after the incident, once the ceremony had finished.
A traveling press pool reporter accompanying Biden stated that the President did not respond to questions from journalists upon returning to his plane.
White House Press Secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, said that Biden feels "completely fine" and boarded the plane with a "big smile on his face."
Critics of Biden's age have suggested that he should not run for a second presidential term due to his advancing years.
Biden's Multiple Falls at Air Force Academy: A Closer Look at His Health
Recent polls indicate that a majority of American voters are concerned about Biden's age. He will be 82 years old at the start of a potential second term if he wins the 2024 presidential election.
This stumble, along with previous incidents of falling off his bike and tripping on the stairs of Air Force One, may add to these concerns.
Former President Donald Trump, the favored Republican candidate to face Biden in the 2024 White House race, responded to the incident from a campaign rally in Iowa, calling it "weird."
Trump (76 years old), who often mocks Biden's age, said, "I hope he's okay." He added, "It's not a source of inspiration."
Trump, apparently referring to his cautious walk outside the stage that made headlines, said at the time, "You have to be careful even if you have to walk on your fingertips," apparently referring to his careful walk after delivering his 2020 speech, which garnered significant media attention.
At that time, he attributed his West Point Academy ramp descent in New York to being slippery and dismissed subsequent media questions about his health as fake news.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, another potential Republican candidate for the 2024 election, also commented on Biden's fall during a campaign event in New Hampshire, saying, "We hope and wish Joe Biden a speedy recovery from any injuries he may have sustained.
He added, "But we also wish for the United States of America to recover from the injuries it has suffered due to Joe Biden and his policies.
Biden underwent his latest full medical examination in February.
White House physician Dr. Kevin O'Connor wrote at the time, "The President is fit for duty, and executes all of his duties fully without any exceptions or accommodations.
O'Connor added that Biden walks with a "steady gait," largely due to wear and tear on his spine and nerve damage in his feet, but his condition has not changed from the previous examination in November 2021.
How Many Times Has Joe Biden Falling ?
Biden has fallen or tripped at least eight times since winning the 2020 election.Seven of the instances occurred in public, with four of them happening on the stairs of Air Force One.
The falls include:
- May 2023 at the G7 summit in Japan.
- February 2023 in Poland.
Biden, once again, falls up the stairs on AF1…after the White House Doctor stated that, “Joe Biden remains a healthy, vigorous, 80-year-old male…who’s fit…” pic.twitter.com/IaVq64QF4k
— Liz Churchill (@liz_churchill10) February 22, 2023
- March 2023 in Alabama.
- in May and June 2022 on Air Force One's steps.
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Biden also fell off his bicycle in June 2022 near his home in
Delaware.
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and tripped three times while climbing the stairs of Air Force One
in March 2021.
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In November 2020, Biden broke his foot after tripping on a rug while
chasing his dog.
Age and Health Concerns:
At age 80, Biden is the oldest individual to serve as President, and his age and fitness for office are likely to be a key factor in his 2024 reelection bid.
Biden's physician declared him fit for duty in a report released in February 2023 but noted degenerative osteoarthritic changes in his spine, leading to stiffness in his ambulatory gait.
Biden has responded to concerns over his age by pointing to his rigorous schedule and saying that voters should judge for themselves if he is up for the job.
The frequency of Biden's falls has raised concerns over his age and health, and it remains to be seen how this will impact his presidency and future reelection bid.
It's worth noting that Biden isn't the first U.S. president to stumble and fall in front of cameras.
President Barack Obama stumbled while climbing stairs at an event in 2012.
President Gerald Ford fell down the stairs of Air Force One in 1975.
Similar incidents have occurred to other presidents in the past while performing their official duties.