Harris vouches for Biden's mental fitness, stamina
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Vice President Kamala Harris has full confidence that President Biden has the stamina and around-the-clock clarity of mind to handle the domestic and international crises in front of him, a Harris spokesperson tells Axios.
Why it matters: The June debate that led Biden to drop his re-election campaign raised questions about Biden's mental fitness — and whether Harris had any concerns beforehand.
Driving the news: Axios asked Harris' campaign Saturday whether she could "fully assure" voters that there is nothing to be concerned about Biden's "hour-by-hour performance."
- Harris spokesperson Ian Sams quickly responded: "Of course."
Zoom in: Some of Biden's aides privately have acknowledged that he's more reliably on message between 10am and 4pm, and can get fatigued and have verbal miscues outside those hours.
- That public schedule has been even lighter since Biden dropped his re-election bid on July 21.
- The White House argues that Biden's public schedule is part of an intentional communications strategy timed to make certain newscasts, and not related to his age.
- They also note that most presidents do most of their work behind closed doors.
Between the lines: Harris was one of the most aggressive public validators of Biden's mental fitness in the aftermath of the report in February by special counsel Robert Hur, who investigated Biden's handling of classified documents.
- After two lengthy interviews with the president, Hur wrote that Biden's memory was "hazy," "fuzzy," "faulty," "poor" and had "significant limitations."
- At the time, Harris called the report "gratuitous, inaccurate and inappropriate."
