Biden tells governors he plans to turn in by 8 p.m. every night, mentions 'brain' issues: report
President Joe Biden reportedly informed Democratic governors at the White House earlier this week that he intends to stop planning events after 8 p.m. to ensure that he can turn in for the night, and suggested that he is dealing with "brain" issues.
During a Wednesday meeting that involved more than 20 Democratic governors who attended both in person and virtually, the 81-year-old Biden informed the governors that he needs more sleep and needs to work fewer hours, according to The New York Times.
Democratic Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, who is a doctor, reportedly queried Biden regarding his health during the meeting. According to three sources who spoke to the Times, Biden maintained that he was in good health, but reportedly raised eyebrows when he added, "It's just my brain."
While some governors interpreted the president's aside as a joke, others present found it unsettling, according to the outlet.
Kevin Munoz, who serves as a spokesman for the Biden campaign, attempted to compare the president's early bedtime to that of his predecessors while also seizing the opportunity to strike at former President Donald Trump.
"President Bush went to bed at 9, and President Obama made dinner at 6:30," Munoz told NYT. "Normal presidents strike a balance, and so does Joe Biden. Hardly the same rigor as Donald Trump who spends half of his day ranting on Truth Social about plans that would cause a recession and [the] other half golfing."
Biden's comments come amid a surge of scrutiny regarding his physical and mental acuity following his faltering, lackluster debate performance last week against Trump, the presumptive 2024 GOP nominee.
In the days following the debate, Trump was caught on video at a golf course railing against Biden as an "old, broken down pile of crap," and claiming he had managed to push his opponent into "quitting the race."
Trump also made the assumption that Vice President Kamala Harris would take Biden's place, though he also dismissed her as "pathetic" and "so [expletive] bad."
Many prominent Democratic leaders and donors were reportedly panicking after the debate, with some suggesting that he should be replaced as the 2024 Democratic nominee. He has since been hemorrhaging major Democratic donors such as Disney heiress Abigail Disney and media mogul Barry Diller.
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., is gathering a group of Democratic lawmakers to urge Biden to step aside, The Washington Post reported Friday.
Biden's official X account fired off a flurry of tweets on Friday afternoon defending himself and attacking Trump.
Let me say this as clearly as I can:
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 5, 2024
I’m the sitting President of the United States.
I’m the nominee of the Democratic party.
I’m staying in the race.
"Let me say this as clearly as I can: I’m the sitting President of the United States," he said in one tweet. "I’m the nominee of the Democratic party. I’m staying in the race."
"For over two centuries, America has been a free and democratic nation," his account also tweeted. "I’ll be damned if in the year 2024—just two years before the 250th anniversary of our Declaration of Independence—Donald Trump takes that away."
Jon Brown is a reporter for The Christian Post. Send news tips to [email protected]