Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) recently appeared on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” where he suggested that a cognitive test would indicate that former President Donald Trump had a “serious illness of one kind or another.” Following Biden’s debate debacle that unfolded late last month, some Democrats have seemingly tried to redirect the conversation on the president’s cognitive state toward that of Trump’s.
Host Kristen Welker asked Schiff, “You heard Nancy Pelosi say it was legitimate to ask if it’s an episode or a condition. President Biden refused to take a cognitive test. Do you think he should take a cognitive test?” Schiff stated that he would like both Trump and Biden to take a cognitive examination. “I would be happy if both the president and Donald Trump took cognitive,” he replied.
Amid the ongoing calls from some Democrats in the mainstream media urging Biden to step down from his reelection bid, Schiff’s stance on the matter is that it will ultimately come down to a personal decision from the president as to whether he believes he is fit to take on Trump in a rematch of the last election. According to the California Democrat, if Biden chooses to step aside, he should empower a new candidate.
Welker followed up, “So that’s a yes?” The representative continued, “I think they both should be willing to take a test. I think frankly a test would show Donald Trump has a serious illness of one kind or another. But ultimately the decision will come down to what Joe Biden thinks is best and if his decision is to run, then run hard and beat that S.O.B., or if his decision is to pass the torch, then the president should do everything in his power to make the other candidate successful.”
The NBC host further inquired about the implications of Biden’s perception among American voters for down-ballot Democrats. “Let me ask you next steps, there will be meetings on Capitol Hill. Leader Jefferies and Mark Warner, are Democrats in trouble with Joe Biden at the top of the ticket? Look, there are concerns on down ballot races? Is he dragging down down ballot races?” Welker asked.
Schiff explained that Biden should honestly evaluate whether he is capable of running against Donald Trump for the sake of the Democratic Party in a decision that will define “his own legacy” and perhaps be the “most important” decision of his presidency. The congressman illustrated that this could have “profound” downstream impacts on both chambers in Congress.
He said, “At present, the down-ballot races are all ahead. They are running well ahead of the president, but you can only run so far ahead of the president, and so obviously Joe Biden will need to consider for his own sake and his own legacy can he beat Donald Trump, if he’s the best to beat Donald Trump, but also that the profound impact of this decision and maybe the most important of his presidency will have on the House, on the Senate and the future of the country.” Watch Schiff’s comments below:
President Biden has drawn significant concern in the wake of the debate performance against Trump. Throughout his presidency, conservatives have called out apparent signs of Biden’s declining mental and physical health, to which Democrats vehemently dismissed. However, after the debate, many on the left have seemingly give up on trying to defend the president, urging him to pass the torch.
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