The Biden campaign put word out to reporters midway through Thursday night’s presidential debate in Atlanta that Joe Biden has been sick with a cold for the past several days. Biden started the debate looking dazed, with his voice shot and telling an inexplicable blatant lie that no U.S. troops died around the world during his presidency.
Biden spent the past week in seclusion at the presidential retreat Camp David, Maryland where he underwent debate prep with a team of sixteen aides who had him practice standing for ninety-minute sessions. No pictures or video was released by team Biden while he was hidden from the press and public. The first time Biden was seen was when he flew Marine One from Camp David to Joint Base Andrews just outside the nation’s capital Thursday afternoon to board Air Force One for the flight to Atlanta.
Biden looked healthy then and later when he mingled with supporters in Atlanta (awful to think he gave his cold to all those people):
President Biden departs Joint Base Andrews en route to Atlanta for the first 2024 presidential debate tonight pic.twitter.com/Anrpoq1JwN
— JM Rieger (@RiegerReport) June 27, 2024
An electrified crowd erupts into chants of “four more years” as President Biden greets supporters in Atlanta ahead of tonight’s debate pic.twitter.com/HDOUi5BvJb
— Biden-Harris HQ (@BidenHQ) June 27, 2024
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) might want to see his doctor:
Here in Atlanta welcoming President @JoeBiden as he arrives for the debate. I’ll be live tweeting from CNN debate center so follow along.
See you all soon from the debate! pic.twitter.com/ISvkYEeq5p
— Robert Garcia (@RobertGarcia) June 27, 2024
NBC’s Kelly O’Donnell posted at 9:50 p.m. EDT, midway though the ninety-minute debate, “NEW: Two sources familiar with the situation say “President Biden has a cold.””
NEW: Two sources familiar with the situation say “President Biden has a cold.”
— Kelly O’Donnell (@KellyO) June 28, 2024
CBS News followed at 9:57 p.m., “A source familiar with the President’s debate prep confirms that Biden has had a cold for the past few days (via @nancycordes)”
A source familiar with the President’s debate prep confirms that Biden has had a cold for the past few days (via @nancycordes)
— aaron navarro (@aaronlarnavarro) June 28, 2024
The Trump campaign responded, “Trump campaign senior advisor responds to reporting that President Biden has a cold. “How convenient. He spent last ten days on vacation.””
Trump campaign senior advisor responds to reporting that President Biden has a cold.
“How convenient. He spent last ten days on vacation.”
— Rachel Scott (@rachelvscott) June 28, 2024
A National Review writer noted colds could be fatal for a man in Biden’s condition, “Kelly O’Donnell reports that President Biden’s team is telling journalists that Biden “has a cold,” which certainly makes sense given how shot his voice sounds. The problem, of course, is that Biden looks like the next cold he catches could well send him to the boneyard.”
.@EsotericCD: Kelly O’Donnell reports that President Biden’s team is telling journalists that Biden “has a cold,” which certainly makes sense given how shot his voice sounds.
The problem, of course, is that Biden looks like the next cold he catches could well send him to the…
— National Review (@NRO) June 28, 2024