Senator John Fetterman defends President Biden amid growing concerns about his mental fitness, while others call for him to step aside in the 2024 presidential race.
Senator John Fetterman, D-Pa., has come to the defense of President Biden, dismissing concerns about his mental fitness and arguing that he is still the best candidate to defeat Donald Trump in 2024.
Fetterman's comments come as the White House and Biden campaign have aggressively pushed back against concerns about the president's age and cognitive abilities, calling videos that have surfaced of him struggling "cheap fakes."
President Biden Under Fire: Allies and Critics Question Mental Fitness
However, the narrative took a significant hit on Wednesday when Hollywood actor George Clooney and former Obama aide Jon Favreau both spoke out about their concerns. Clooney said that Biden was "not the same man" he was at a fundraiser three weeks prior, while Favreau said that "every single person" he spoke to at the event thought the same thing.
Favreau's comments were particularly damning, coming just a day after he and two other former Obama aides dedicated an entire episode of their podcast to criticizing Biden's performance in the first presidential debate and a subsequent interview.
President Biden Under Fire: Allies and Critics Question Mental Fitness
Immediately following the June 18 fundraiser, the Democratic Party and the media launched a coordinated effort to dispel any questions about Biden's age. The Associated Press wrote that Biden "paused amid cheers and applause," while White House spokesperson Andrew Bates described it as "the President taking in an applauding crowd."
Biden campaign spokesperson James Singer attributed the negative characterizations as a distraction tactic from those who "are so scared of losing to Joe Biden." White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called such footage "cheap fakes video" that are "done in bad faith."
President Biden Under Fire: Allies and Critics Question Mental Fitness
However, a source who helped organize and attend the fundraiser told the AP that there was nothing noteworthy about the moment and that Obama wanted to be "chummy" by walking offstage with Biden.
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and Biden campaign for comment but did not receive a response.
President Biden Under Fire: Allies and Critics Question Mental Fitness
The controversy over Biden's mental fitness is likely to continue as the 2024 presidential election approaches. As the oldest president in American history, Biden will have to confront concerns about his age and cognitive abilities, and his opponents will likely seize on any opportunity to raise doubts about his fitness for office.
