WASHINGTON – President Biden openly expressed his confusion about what to do Thursday at his only scheduled public event of the week – and had to be reminded by a moderator to leave a White House celebration of the Texas Rangers’ World Series victory, which he did after greeting the athlete.
Biden, 81, ended his campaign for a second term on July 21 after a mutiny by fellow Democrats who were concerned about his mental health. But he insisted he was still fit to serve as president through Jan. 20 – despite his conspicuously tight schedule.
“All right, what do I do now?” Biden said after receiving a personalized jersey and cowboy boots from the baseball team at the conclusion of the event in the East Room of the White House.
A military adviser approached Biden to accept the gifts, and the president appeared to joke, “Are you stealing my jersey?”
Biden, who has hosted dozens of events in the same room, then stood awkwardly, looking around for instructions, at one point raising both hands in an apparent questioning gesture to signal that he was unsure of what to do.
His uncertainty dissolved when a moderator said: “Distinguished guests, please remain in your seats while the President leaves.”
When Biden heard these words, he swung his arms in a jogging motion and left the stage.
After greeting two young children in the front row, Biden turned, squared his shoulders and saluted the Dallas-Fort Worth team in military style.
Leading Republicans and some Democrats called on Biden to resign from the presidency, fearing he was unfit to serve as commander-in-chief of the world’s most powerful nation.
“If Joe Biden is unfit to run for president, he is unfit to serve as president. He must leave office immediately,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) said last month after Biden withdrew as the Democratic presidential nominee and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor.
Democratic Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington said last month: “Americans have a right to know that their president is fit for the job.”
“I question the president’s assessment of his health and fitness for office. I also question whether he himself is making the important decisions for our country rather than unelected advisers,” she said.
Biden made no public appearances on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. A closed-door visit to his former campaign headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, is planned for Thursday evening before returning to his vacation home on the Delaware coast for a long weekend.
Biden was forced to withdraw as the Democratic nominee after nearly a month of pressure from other party leaders over his disastrous June 27 debate with former President Donald Trump. During the debate, Biden repeatedly appeared confused and made incomprehensible remarks such as saying he “beat Medicare.”
Harris, 59, has gained sharply in the polls and is currently ahead of Trump in RealClearPolitics’ average of national polls, after Biden trailed Trump all year in 2024.
Republicans have noted that Harris has not given interviews since replacing Biden as party leader, failing to review her policies and record and allowing for an extended “honeymoon period” before the Nov. 5 election.
Biden’s aides insisted he remained fit to lead the country. Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre claimed he could even serve a full second term, and his doctor, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, told the Washington Post in an interview that Biden’s mental acuity was “excellent.”
