The mental acuity of President Joe Biden has been called into question in recent months, with many speculating that the 78-year-old may be experiencing a decline in cognitive function. These concerns have been echoed by former head of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and renowned neurosurgeon, Dr. Ben Carson. In a recent interview with The Daily Wire, Carson stated that it is "pretty obvious" that Biden's mental acuity has declined significantly in recent years.
Carson went on to say that the decline is not something that is normal for someone of Biden's age. While it is expected that there may be some decline in cognition with aging, the severity of Biden's decline is cause for concern. This sentiment is shared by a majority of registered voters, according to recent polls. In a Deseret News/HarrisX poll released this month, 63% of registered voters expressed concern that Biden is not mentally fit to perform the duties of a U.S. president.
One way to evaluate cognitive functioning is through a simple mental evaluation. This type of evaluation typically involves tasks such as counting down from 100 by 7s and naming three objects that have been previously stated. According to Carson, these tasks are not difficult, but he believes that Biden would have difficulty completing them. However, the Biden administration has avoided having the president undergo this type of evaluation, as it could potentially expose the severity of his mental decline.
Despite concerns about Biden's mental acuity, there is also some speculation that these concerns may be politically motivated. Biden's opponent in the 2020 presidential election, former President Donald Trump, was also subject to questions about his age and fitness for office. In a Quinnipiac University poll released last month, 64% of registered voters expressed concern about Trump's ability to serve a second term. However, this is still lower than the 75% of voters who expressed concerns about Biden's fitness in a February poll by NBC News.
Age and fitness have become significant issues in the 2024 presidential race, with many questioning whether either of the two major candidates will have the physical and mental abilities to serve for four more years. In the Deseret News/HarrisX poll, 51% of voters expressed concern about Trump's cognitive ability. While this is still a significant number, it is lower than the 66% who expressed concerns about Biden in the same poll.
The Biden administration has not addressed these concerns directly, instead focusing on the president's policies and actions in office. However, there have been some efforts to showcase the president's mental acuity, such as his first press conference earlier this month. In the press conference, Biden answered questions from reporters for over an hour and appeared to be in full control of his cognitive abilities.
Despite these efforts, questions about Biden's mental acuity persist. In another recent poll by The Hill and HarrisX, 58% of registered voters said they were concerned about Biden's cognitive abilities. This is a troubling number for the president, especially as he moves forward with his agenda and prepares for the 2022 midterm elections.
As for Carson, he has continued to voice his concerns about the president's mental decline and has even suggested that Biden may be suffering from some form of dementia. However, these claims have not been substantiated and should be taken with caution. Ultimately, the state of the president's mental acuity remains a topic of great interest and concern for many Americans, and it is likely to continue to be a topic of discussion in the coming months and years.