President Joe Biden told Democratic governors on Wednesday that a doctor had cleared him to vote after last week’s debate, contradicting previous White House statements about his medical care.
The president met with Democratic governors in person and via video call on Wednesday night and was asked about last week’s devastating debate performance.
Asked whether he had received medical attention after the debate, he told governors assembled that he had been examined by a doctor and was fine, according to two sources familiar with the exchange. Hours earlier, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden had not undergone any medical exams since February, when he last underwent a thorough physical and multiple tests.
Politico first reported Biden’s comments, which came as the president sought to shore up his supporters on the left amid concerns about his ability to do his job and defeat Donald Trump in November.
In a radio interview with a Wisconsin station that aired in full on Thursday, Biden told listeners: “I had a bad night, I had a bad night. And the fact of the matter is … I messed up, I made a mistake.”
He continued: “I didn’t have a good debate. That’s 90 minutes on stage. Look what I’ve done in 3.5 years. I’ve brought the economy back from the brink of the abyss.”
The White House has acknowledged their earlier omission, saying Biden has not undergone a medical exam since February but has regularly visited a doctor for brief check-ups since then, including after the debate.
“A few days later, the President was seen to check for a cold and he is recovering well,” White House spokesman Andrew Bates told NBC News in a statement Thursday morning. The White House added that Biden has not undergone any neurological scans since the debate a week ago.
Like other presidents, Biden has a personal physician who travels with him and is available to him if he needs help.
Biden’s meeting with governors was organized by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, as part of a broader effort to assuage concerns about his poor debate performance and the path forward.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
