A new book has revealed that former President Joe Biden‘s team chose not to have him take a cognitive test in February 2024. Biden’s team was concerned that taking the test would raise more questions about his age.

Authors Tyler Pager, a reporter for the Times, Josh Dawsey, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, and Isaac Arnsdorf, a reporter for The Washington Post, wrote the book 2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America, which will be released in July. 

The book describes that Biden’s top aides debated having him take a cognitive exam to stop concerns about his age. The aides were allegedly confident that the former president would pass the test. 

According to the book, even though his aides were certain that he would pass the test, some were afraid that the optics of him taking it could increase concerns over his mental sharpness.

“At the same time, Mr. Biden’s longtime doctor, Kevin O’Connor, had told aides he would not take the 81-year-old president’s political standing into consideration when treating him,” the book recounts.

This debate occurred during the same month that Special Counsel Robert Hur’s investigative report about Biden’s mishandling of classified documents was released.

“We have also considered that, at trial, Mr. Biden would likely present himself to a jury, as he did during our interview of him, as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory,” Hur stated at the time.

According to a Gallup poll released on February 11, Biden had the lowest favorability rating among all living presidents.

This poll surveyed 1,001 American adults from January 21-27 with a 4% margin of error.

Biden was viewed favorably by 39% of surveyed Americans, while 57% viewed him unfavorably.

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Article by Alessio Atria

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