38 GOP lawmakers write to Biden urging him to take a cognitive test, claim ‘something isn’t right’

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More than three dozen House Republicans are demanding President Joe Biden submits to a cognitive test and outlined their concerns about his fitness for office in a searing letter sent on Wednesday. 

Thirty-seven GOP lawmakers signed onto the letter, written by former White House physician Rep. Ronny Jackson, and cited recent examples of the 79-year-old’s ‘mental decline’ including forgetting numbers and names and hot mic moments.

‘The American people should have absolute confidence in their President. They deserve to know that he or she can perform the duties of Head of State and Commander-in-Chief,’ the letter, obtained by DailyMail.com, states.

‘They deserve full transparency on the mental capabilities of their highest elected leader. To achieve this, we urge you to submit to a cognitive test immediately.’

Jackson penned a similar letter in June that did not appear to receive a public reply from the White House  It follows recent polling showed a growing number of Americans having doubts about Biden’s mental fitness. 

House Republicans’ letter cites instances of the president forgetting the names of senior Cabinet officials, misreading clearly-marked figures and even suggested Biden has shown symptoms of Alzheimers’ Disease.

‘The Alzheimer’s Association lists “changes in mood and personality,” including being more “easily upset” as one of ten signs of mental decline,’ Jackson wrote in the letter.

‘You displayed this type of mood change during a cabinet meeting on January 24, 2022, when you apparently did not know your microphone was on after finishing your opening remarks, and you called a White House reporter a “stupid son of a b****”in response to a question asked on inflation.’

He was referring to a hot mic moment during which Biden called Fox News reporter Peter Doocy a ‘stupid son of a b****’, after which the president personally apologized to the journalist.  

‘As a former physician to three Presidents of the United States, I know what it takes mentally and physically to execute the duties of Commander-in-Chief and Head of State,’ Jackson told Fox News, who first reported the letter.

‘Joe Biden has continually proven to me and to the world that something isn’t right.’ 

In the letter he pointed to the example of former President Donald Trump, who was apparently given the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) in 2018 when Jackson was the commander-in-chief’s doctor. 

Trump had repeatedly boated about ‘acing’ the test, designed to detect signs of mild cognitive impairment such as with early onset dementia. 

‘We believe that, regardless of gender, age, or political party, all Presidents should follow the example set by former President Trump to document and demonstrate sound mental abilities,’ the lawmakers wrote, adding that it should be ‘routine’ for all future presidents as well.

Other legislators who signed on include Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York; Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona; GOP conference vice chairman Mike Johnson of Louisiana; Republican Study Committee chairman Rep. Jim Banks of Indiana; and several members in addition to Jackson who hold medical degrees.

Jackson told Fox: ‘This is not a partisan issue. When I discussed taking a cognitive test with President Trump, he was eager to assure the American people and to put the fake news media’s stories to bed.’

‘Why won’t President Biden do the same?’ he questioned, adding that the House Republicans could only ‘assume the worst’ if Biden doesn’t take the test and publish the results. 

On March 19, video captured Biden tripping up the stairs as he boarded Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews. 

In the clip, Biden stumbles as he walks up the airstairs. He grabs the hand railing to catch his balance, but then loses his footing two additional times.

During the third stumble, he falls to his knees. However, after brushing off his leg, he reaches the top of the plane and gives a salute before disappearing inside.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre later told reporters that Biden was ‘100 percent fine’ and preparing for his trip in Atlanta. 

‘It’s pretty windy outside. It’s very windy. I almost fell coming up the steps myself,’ she said.

CALLING KAMALA ‘PRESIDENT HARRIS’

Just one day earlier, Biden accidentally referred to Vice President Kamala Harris as ‘President Harris.’

The gaffe occurred during a press conference on March 18, during which he lauded his administration for being close to meeting their goal of 100 million COVID-19 vaccine doses in his first 100 days in office.

‘Now when President Harris and I took a virtual tour of a vaccination center in Arizona not long ago, one of the nurses on that, on that tour injecting people, giving vaccinations, said that each shot was like administering a dose of hope,’ Biden said.

Harris was standing behind Biden as the president carried on with his speech, but did not correct himself.

Later that day, when the White House released the transcript of his speech, Harris’s proper title was inserted with brackets.

FORGOT NAME OF SECRETARY OF DEFENSE

In a speech on March 9, Biden seemed to fumble with his words and forget the name of his Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.

‘I want to thank Sec – the former general – I keep calling him “General,”‘ Biden said.

‘My – the guy who runs that outfit over there. I want to make sure we thank the Secretary for all he’s done to try to implement what we’ve just talked about, and for recommending these two women for promotion.’   

The slip-occurred despite the fact that just a few minutes earlier, he had mentioned Austin’s name in the speech without an issue.

INTRODUCES GRANDDAUGHTER AS HIS SON

During an Election Day speech in Philadelphia, Biden stumbled over his words and confused his granddaughter with his late son, Beau Biden. 

Biden told the crowd: ‘I want to introduce you to two of my granddaughters…this is my son, Beau Biden who a lot of you helped elect to the Senate in Delaware.’

The commander-in-chief had meant to introduce the crowed to Natalie, Beau’s daughter, but hadn’t just mixed up the name but the person – he also put his arm around Finnegan Biden, Hunter’s daughter.

He finally corrected himself as he draped his arm around Natalie’s shoulder and said: ‘This is Natalie, this is Beau’s daughter.’  

Beau Biden passed away in 2015 after a months-long battle with glioblastoma, one of the deadliest types of brain cancer. 

TOLD STATE SENATOR IN WHEELCHAIR TO STAND UP

Not all of Biden’s gaffes occurred in the 2020s or even the 2010s. In fact, some happened in the early aughts.

In September 2008, after Biden had been named former President Barack Obama’s running mate, he attended a campaign rally in Missouri.

It was there that he called on then-Missouri state senator Chuck Graham, who passed away last year. to stand up for the crowd.

‘I’m told Chuck Graham, state senator, is here. Stand up Chuck, let ’em see you,’ Biden said.

It was at that moment he realized Graham was in a wheelchair due to muscular dystrophy.

‘Oh, God love you. What am I talking about. I’ll tell you what, you’re making everybody else stand up, though, pal.’

According to the Columbia Tribune, Graham said he was never offended by the mistake.        

 

The letter quotes the MOCA creator’s recommendation that the test should be administered when loved ones and others close in someone’s orbit ‘start noticing mental decline.’

‘This particularly includes forgetfulness on ordinary tasks, which you have clearly exhibited throughout your tenure,’ Jackson’s letter reads.

A recent poll conducted by Politico and Morning Consult found that 49 percent of Americans disagree with the notion that Biden is ‘mentally fit,’ compared to 40 percent who believe he is.

The largest share of respondents, 37 percent, said they ‘strongly disagree’ that Biden is mentally fit. 

The number of Americans who expressed concern about Biden’s brain in the mid-January survey is only a one-point uptick from the 48 percent who said the same in November.

But the confidence in him is dropping dramatically — 46 percent said in November that the president is mentally fit, a six-point decline.

The January survey also showed 50 percent of Americans disagreeing with the statement that Biden is ‘in good health.’ 

Lawmakers’ Wednesday letter cites a number of instances that fueled speculation about Biden’s mental health, including a COVID-19 task force press conference during which he appeared to have issues reading a statistic in front of him, and had to be corrected by Dr. Anthony Fauci.

‘This is not just a recent trend, as your mental decline and forgetfulness have become more apparent over the past two years,’ they write.

‘On the campaign trail, you often forgot the names of states that you were in for campaign rallies. The Alzheimer’s Association points out “confusion with time or place” as another of the ten signs and symptoms of mental decline.’

‘In February 2021, you publicly forgot the purpose of your visit to survey the winter storm damage in Texas. In March 2021, you forgot the name of the Pentagon, the Department of Defense, and the Defense Secretary. 

‘Lastly, in May 2021, you told a story from your tenure as Vice President in which you stated that you regularly visited your sick mother via Amtrak in2013, even though she passed away in 2010.’ 

His health battles have been well-documented. 

Biden suffered two brain aneurysms in 1988 while vying for the Democratic presidential nomination, which went to Michael Dukakis. He had surgery to treat the life-threatening conditions.

He also had a heart condition which makes the muscle beat too fast, causing dizziness and confusion — known as atrial fibrilation.

As America’s oldest President, risk factors that come naturally with age are also a concern. The chance of dementia doubles every five years after age 65, and one in six people have it by age 80. 

Biden’s also experienced accidents since becoming president, including falling  while climbing up the stairs of Air Force One in March.

Last November he suffered hairline fractures in his food when playing with one of his dogs and had to wear a protective boot for weeks.