© MANDEL NGAN President Biden walks the South Lawn on his way back to the White House in Washington on Thursday. Biden spent the morning undergoing his annual medical, which will give his political allies hope he could run for a second term in 2024.President Biden 'remains a healthy and vigorous man of 80 and fit to successfully discharge the duties of the presidency,' his doctor wrote in his memoir, released hours after the president's annual regular sessions at the military. National Walter Reed. Thursday morning medical center.
Kevin O'Connor, Biden's primary care physician since 2009, wrote that the most notable update on Biden's latest fitness in November 2021 was that he tested positive for COVID-19 during the summer, but said the president had persistent symptoms. have. This is described as "prolonged COVID".
Biden has been regularly screened for skin cancer as part of his physical activity. O'Connor said a "little lump" was removed from the president's breast on Thursday and sent for a routine biopsy, pending results. O'Connor noted that Biden spent "a lot of time" in the sun when he was younger and had multiple non-melanoma skin cancers removed before running for president.
At 80, Biden, America's first eight-term president, has repeatedly faced questions about his physical and mental fitness. things have gotten worse as he prepares for his upcoming re-election bid. He will be 82 at the start of his second term and 86 at the end of his eight years in the White House.
Biden has previously said his health will be a major factor in his final decision to seek re-election, but he told his advisers he feels healthy and energetic despite his age.
After physical activity, Biden was seen running from the sea to the White House.
Biden has a few minor health issues that he is being treated for. High blood lipids or high cholesterol. gastroesophageal reflux Seasonal allergy Spinal arthritis. and mild peripheral sensory neuropathy of the feet. All cases are stable, O'Connor says, and the president is taking three common prescription medications and two common over-the-counter medications to treat them.
Biden's age and health are sure to be major campaign issues, no matter who he faces. Republicans have already begun turning Biden's age into a hotbed for attacks.
Former US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, who recently announced her Republican leadership bid, has called for a "mandatory mental fitness test" for all politicians over 75.
"America hasn't exceeded our bounty," he said Wednesday, "it's just that our politicians have exceeded their politicians."
Arkansas Governor, Republican Sarah Huckabee Sanders, used Biden's reaction last week to claim that Biden is "the oldest president in American history." Biden is "unfit to serve as Commander-in-Chief."
Haley and Sanders have publicly called for a "new generation" of leaders to replace current politicians.
Former President Donald Trump, 76, has also tried to downplay Biden's age and issues, calling him "Sleepy Joe" and questioning his vitality and mental acumen. Trump, who is overweight and admits to poor eating habits, has come under attack from Biden allies over his physical and mental fitness.
Biden said it was fair for people to ask his age, but White House aides dismissed concerns about the president's plan to seek a second term in his 80s. White House press secretary Karen Jean-Pierre was asked Thursday if she thinks Biden is ready for the job, despite being 86 at the end of his second term. He simply replied, "Yes".
However, polls show Biden's age to be an issue among voters. A February 2022 Washington Post-ABC News poll found that 54% of Americans said Biden lacked the mental capacity to be effective as president, up from 43% in May 2020. Democrats who say Biden is mentally sharp are 34% Independents and 7% Republicans.
Despite the rigors of the presidency, Biden has not been seriously injured or seriously ill since taking office. The White House said at the time that he contracted COVID-19 last year while working from home and had only mild symptoms.
He was put on Paxlovid and had a rebound infection, meaning he tested negative a few days later and then tested positive for the virus again, but otherwise recovered.
In June, Biden flipped his bike near his vacation home in Delaware after his shoe hit a toe in a parking lot. White House aides noted that Biden got up and continued riding his bike, noting that it was not uncommon for cyclists to tiptoe down.
Sometimes the chief did not like questions about his mental acuity and his ability to perform his duties.
When asked about his age, Biden often asks people to judge him on his actions rather than his date of birth.
Speaking to PBS News Hour last week, Biden described himself as having "a great deal of respect for fate" and promised to be "completely, completely honest" about his health.
"I think people should just follow me," he said, adding that his hilarious response from Republicans during his speech prompted several people to say, "Oh my god, age is no longer a issue !"
Washington Post
Biden announced new measures to end racial inequality
President Biden on Thursday ordered the federal government to do more to address racial inequality as the issues and complexities of systemic racism are once again in the public eye.
The executive order, signed during Black History Month, calls on federal agencies to file an annual request to address longstanding disparities in government services and treatment, which he ordered on his first day in office. . The revisions aim to increase access to federal programs, services and activities for disadvantaged communities. The new order also directs federal agencies to have capital teams and appoint senior leaders to raise capital and eliminate bias.
The new order shows Biden "doubled down" on his first day as president to "put capital at the heart of what this government does," said Chirag Bains, deputy assistant to the president for racial justice and the equity.
The order institutionalizes Biden's promise to make government open and accessible to all, Baynes told The Associated Press, acknowledging that "capital acquisition is not a one- or two-year project, it's is a generational commitment.
Federal agencies must improve the quality and frequency of contact with communities that systematically experience discrimination. It formalizes Biden's goal to increase federal procurement dollars for disadvantaged small businesses by 50% by 2025.
According to the order, agencies must also address new threats to civil rights, such as discrimination in access to automated technology and for people with disabilities and people who speak languages other than English. It also includes an effort to improve data collection, transparency and analysis to help improve fairness.
Press Agency