White House issues fiery response to WSJ story on Biden ‘slipping’

(NewsNation) – The White House is attacking what it says is a “contradictory” profile by Wall Street Journalwhich argues that President Joe Biden’s mental acuity is the most glaring vulnerability threatening his re-election bid.

The Wall Street Journal story addressed Biden’s vulnerabilities at a time when he is already facing questions about his ability to serve another four years because of his age.

Published this week, the story “Behind Closed Doors, Biden Shows Signs of Slipping” highlighted a January meeting in the West Wing, where attendees — speaking anonymously to the Journal — said they struggled to hear the 81-year-old president as he spoke. quietly, he stated that he “read his notes” or “sometimes he closed his eyes for so long that some people in the room wondered if he had turned it off.”

During a one-on-one conversation the following month with Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, the WSJ reported, Biden said a recent policy change by his administration that put some major energy projects at risk was just a study. That made Johnson worry about Biden’s memory loss regarding his own politics, sources told the publication.

“It’s a little surprising that the Wall Street Journal thought it was breaking news when congressional Republicans told them the same false claims they’ve been making on Fox News for years, but it’s also telling that the only individuals willing to smear the President in this story are political opponents who are afraid to use their names – as well as a proven liar,” White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates said in a statement to NewsNation.

Another incident reported by the WSJ occurred last year, when then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Biden’s memory of the details when negotiating with House Republicans over the debt ceiling seemed to change “from one day to the next.” ”.

“I used to meet with him when he was vice president. I would go to his house,” McCarthy told the WSJ in an interview. “He’s not the same person.”

However, this is a clear contrast to the praise McCarthy had for Biden at the time.

“Very professional, very intelligent. Very difficult at the same time,” McCarthy told reporters of his conversations with Biden, according to NewsNation partner The Hill.

Democrats criticize WSJ

The White House and Democratic politicians were quick to criticize the WSJ article after it was published.

“Many of us spend time with @WSJ to publicly share our first-hand experiences with @POTUSwhere we see your wisdom, experience, strength and strategic thinking,” former House Speaker and current U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said on X. “Instead, the Journal ignored the Democrats’ testimony, focused on the Republicans’ attacks, and published a blockbuster story.”

Bates said in a statement that the WSJ’s interviews with McCarthy, the only recorded critic of Biden in history, contradicted “his previous public and private statements about finding the president insightful in his private meetings.”

The Wall Street Journal said The hill he keeps his reports.

Concerns about Biden, Trump’s age

Questions surrounding the ages of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Biden have hovered over the 2024 presidential election. Biden, at 81, and Trump, at 77, made headlines as voters’ concerns about their acuity grew. mental.

A New York Times/Siena College survey released in March showed that 73% of registered voters believe Biden is too old to be an effective president, while 42% think Trump is too old.

Meanwhile, according to the latest NewsNation poll and Headquarters of the decision deskBiden’s approval rating is just above 40%, compared to 58% who disapprove.