Biden’s doctor clarifies the president’s state of health

In response to rumors of repeated visits to the White House by a Parkinson’s specialist, Joe Biden’s general practitioner, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, issued a letter clarifying the president’s condition. Questions had been raised as the president had been visited by the neurologist on numerous occasions in recent months.

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The statement was issued after a controversial White House press briefing, during which Karine Jean-Pierre, press secretary for the White House, was asked a number of questions about these visits. Ms. Jean-Pierre said visitor logs were public, but would not confirm details of the visits at the briefing for security reasons.

Initial reports in the New York Post and New York Times indicated that neurosurgeon and Parkinson’s specialist Dr. Kevin Cannard had visited the White House eight times between last summer and this spring.

Karine Jean-Pierre pointed out that Biden was not being treated for Parkinson’s and that the president had never taken medication for the disease. She explained that Biden visits a neurologist at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center as part of annual check-ups that include a detailed neurological examination. The examinations performed revealed no symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, stroke, multiple sclerosis or central nervous system disorders.

Joe Biden’s commitment to running for re-election has not wavered despite public criticism from Democrats and recent suggestions of withdrawal after a poor performance in the June debate against Donald Trump. Joe Biden’s critics have expressed concerns about his mental capacity and age, and have called for greater transparency about his state of health.

In a telephone interview with MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Biden said he would continue to run for president despite negative criticism of his mental and physical fitness. Biden again rejected criticism of his health. Jill Biden, the First Lady, also expressed her support for her husband at an appearance in Wilmington, North Carolina.

A recent CBS News poll shows that the fallout from Trump’s debate performance may have swung public opinion in his favor. Joe Biden’s campaign continues to promote his candidacy through interviews, events and Democratic voting outreach.

Behind the scenes, however, other Democrats are gearing up to support a possible Kamala Harris candidacy…