Joe Biden Brushes Off Concerning On-Stage Fall With A Play On Words
President Biden was hard at work handing out diplomas during the Air Force Academy graduation in Colorado on June 1. It was a memorable ceremony, not only because of the Head of State's commencement address, but also because of the tumble he took when walking and falling on the stage. Biden quickly got up with the help of Air Force officials and the Secret Service, and appeared to be all right after his fall.
Ben LaBolt, White House communications director, tweeted, "He's fine. There was a sandbag on stage while he was shaking hands." President Biden laughed off concerns from reporters, cheekily remarking, "I got sandbagged!" He gave a thumbs up and a quick skip to signal his tip-top physical condition.
This is not the first stumble the president has suffered. During a bike ride in Cape Henlopen State Park near his beach home in Delaware, Biden lost points on his dismount. He fell, but fortunately sustained no injuries. "I'm good," Biden told reporters at the time, "I got my foot caught," referring to the toe guards on the bike pedals. Another instance that had social media in a frenzy was when Biden tripped while walking up the Air Force One stairs. His misstep turned into a stumble, but he appeared fine. He gave a patriotic salute once he reached the top, reassuring onlookers. However, with Biden gearing up for re-election, this incident does not help with concerns about his age and agility.
Is Biden physically fit for re-election?
Joe Biden is the oldest sitting president to govern the United States. Many concerns have been raised as to whether he can finish the job, as that is the mission of Biden's 2024 campaign. The first lady, Jill Biden, defended her husband in a CNN interview, saying, "How many 30-year-olds could travel to Poland, get on the train? Go nine more hours, go to Ukraine, meet with President (Volodymyr) Zelenskyy? So, look at the man. Look what he's doing. Look what he continues to do each and every day."
The president himself offered a similar sentiment. He does not fault people for the age concerns and admits if there were an issue, he would be transparent. Sitting down with PBS, Biden declared, "I would be completely thoroughly honest with the American people if I thought there was any health problem, anything that would keep me from being able to do the job. ... so we'll see. But, you know, I just — I think people have to just watch me."
Despite concerns, the medical professionals say Biden is physically well. The White House physician released a February 2023 health summary, which stated, "President Biden remains a healthy, vigorous 80-year-old male who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the presidency, to include those as Chief Executive, Head of State, and Commander in Chief." We all trip occasionally — sometimes, it's off your bike, going upstairs, or from a randomly placed sandbag.