In a short clip from an interview with presumed Democratic
presidential candidate Joe Biden, the former vice president reversed a
statement about personal cognitive testing from just last month.
Following a brief, rare press conference in early July,
Biden faced only a few questions from reporters, most of which he seemed to
have prepared for. One final question from a Fox News reporter, however, seemed
to send him into somewhat of a tailspin.
"Have you been tested for some degree of cognitive
decline?" the reporter asked, just before Biden rushed off the stage,
claiming he was already running late and "in big trouble." Seemed
like a straightforward question and a reasonable one for a man vying for the
highest office in the nation. And Biden seemed to give a straightforward
answer, albeit without details.
"I've been tested, and I'm constantly tested,"
Biden said
directly. "Look, all you gotta do is watch me and I can hardly wait to
compare my cognitive capability to the cognitive capability of the man I'm
running against." Attempts to follow-up that question and confirm that the
76-year-old Democrat has been monitored for the mental decline have been
ignored, as Biden remains largely in isolation, away from the public. His only
appearances seem to be carefully constructed by his campaign staff and handlers
and rarely include questions from the press.
In a clip released on Wednesday, however, Biden faced a
rare, unfiltered question while participating in a virtual interview with
members of the National Association of Black Journalists. When asked to clarify
his remarks from last month about being constantly tested for cognitive
ability, Biden, visibly annoyed, clapped back at CBS correspondent Errol
Barnett.
“No, I haven't taken a test. Why the hell would I take a
test? C'mon man,” Biden said, agitated.
Becoming angry at reporters and voters who ask tough
questions is not new for the presidential candidate. Last year on the campaign
trail, Biden accused a supporter of Sen. Warren of being out of shape, even
appearing to call him “fat.”
On another occasion, when one potential voter raised
concerns about his Second Amendment rights under a potential Biden presidency
that would include radical anti-gun activist Beto O’Rourke, Biden threatened to
punch him.
From the shelter of his isolated basement studio and with
the shield of his staff and handlers, Biden has largely avoided tough questions
during the COVID-19 pandemic. Wednesday’s outburst serves as a reminder that
Biden’s temperament in public should cause almost as much concern as his
cognitive ability.
Having completely reversed course on his claim to be
cognitively tested "constantly," Biden set his sights on Barnett for
daring to ask such a question.
“That's like saying you, before you got in this program,
if you take a test where you're taking cocaine or not, what do you think huh?
Are you a junkie?” Biden asked of the Black anchor.
It didn’t improve from there. Biden pivoted to mocking
President Trump, accusing the president of not being able to tell the
difference between an elephant and a lion, an incident which has never
occurred.
“Did you watch
that? Look, c’mon,” Biden said, giggling. It appeared as though the
presidential candidate was mistaking a clip in which CNN anchor Don Lemon
confused a rhinoceros for a hippo on live TV while also attempting to mock the
president.
Toward the end of the clip, Biden attempted to regain
composure and spell out how mentally fit he was by tasking the American people
with making that decision for themselves, without the proof of medically
approved cognitive testing. He also dismissed rumors that he could avoid
debating Trump ahead of the general election.
“I’m so forward looking [sic] to have an opportunity to
sit with the president or stand with the president and debates [sic].” Biden
then began to tell a story that he abandoned, either out of an abundance of
caution or because he forgot what he was going to say.
“Anyway, I am very willing to let the American public
judge my physical mental filln…my physical as well as my mental
filln...FITness.”
In a clip that lasted just over 60 seconds, Biden
admitted that he blatantly lied about taking cognitive tests, suggested a Black
journalist might be on cocaine for asking that question, falsely accused the
president of being unable to decipher various mammals, and became barely
intelligible while challenging the country to determine his mental
fitness.
