(ABC News) President Joe Biden would not commit to taking independent cognitive and neurological tests during his first television interview since last week’s presidential debate.
Biden, 81, sat down with ABC “Good Morning America” and “This Week” anchor George Stephanopoulos in Madison, Wisconsin, on Friday, as the president’s poor performance in the debate has garnered calls from some Democrats for him to drop out of the race and renewed concerns about his age and cognitive abilities.
During the interview, Biden attributed his “bad night” to a cold and exhaustion and said he has regular medical assessments.
Stephanopoulos referenced a New York Times report from Tuesday headlined, “Biden’s Lapses Are Said to Be Increasingly Common and Worrisome,” which reported that people who have spent time with the president over the last several months “said the lapses appear to have grown more frequent, more pronounced and, after Thursday’s debate, more worrisome.”
Asked whether he has had specific cognitive tests or an examination by a neurologist, Biden responded, “No. No one said I had to. No one said. They said I’m good.”
Then asked if he would be willing to undergo an independent medical evaluation that included neurological and cognitive tests — and release those results to the American people, Biden said, “Look. I have a cognitive test every single day.”
“Every day I have that test. Everything I do,” he continued. “You know, not only am I campaigning, but I’m running the world. Not – and that’s not hi — sounds like hyperbole, but we are the essential nation of the world.”
President Joe Biden speaks with George Stephanopoulos on July 5, 2024, in an ABC News exclusive.ABC News
Biden went on to detail how on a given day he is talking to other world leaders and dealing with global matters such as the expansion of NATO.
“I mean, every day there’s no day I go through there not those decisions I have to make every single day,” Biden said.
Again asked whether he would be willing to have an independent medical evaluation to reassure Americans, Biden said, “Watch me between — there’s a lotta time left in this campaign. There’s over 125 days.”
Asked if the answer right now is no, that he doesn’t want to do that right now, Biden said, “Well, I’ve already done it.”
Biden later said he wouldn’t be running for reelection if he didn’t think he had the mental and physical capacity for another four years in office.
The interview followed a fiery rally with Democratic supporters in Madison, during which Biden insisted he is remaining in the race.
ABC News had reached out to Biden’s Republican challenger, former President Donald Trump, to offer him an equivalent platform but his team declined.
