Official announcements or party leadership decisions

Schumer Denies Misleading Public on Biden's Mental Acuity, Cites Legislative Achievements

Jan 5, 2025, 05:42 PM

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has denied accusations that he and other top Democrats misled the American public about President Joe Biden's mental acuity. During an interview on NBC's 'Meet the Press,' Schumer was confronted with a clip from February 2024 where he had dismissed concerns about the 82-year-old Biden's cognitive health as 'right-wing propaganda.' When asked by host Kristen Welker about these past statements and the feelings of Americans who believed they were misled, Schumer defended his position, stating, 'We didn’t.' He highlighted Biden's legislative achievements, including passing significant legislation since the New Deal and appointing 235 judges, and praised Biden as a patriot and a great guy. Schumer also mentioned that Biden, who would have been 86 years old at the end of another term, chose to step down on his own following a fumbling debate performance against President-elect Donald Trump and after confusing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with Russia's Vladimir Putin at a NATO summit. This led to Biden's exit from the race, with Vice President Kamala Harris taking his place and ultimately losing the 2024 election. Despite these defenses, Schumer avoided speculating on whether Biden could have served another term had he remained in the race and won.