Dr. Anthony Fauci is the latest liberal luminary to be asked whether or not Joe Biden should end his presidential campaign after his shock disaster debate against Donald Trump.
The White House and campaign blame a ‘cold’ for Biden’s low and, at times, hard-to-understand speaking voice.
Others say this is what the President is like on a day-to-day basis now and has spurred even Democrats to now wonder if Biden needs to be replaced in time for November, as his poll numbers slide further behind Trump.
Fauci, who has served every president dating back to Ronald Reagan and became a polarizing figure during the COVID-19 pandemic, appeared this week to promote his new memoir.
While there, the former head of director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) from 1984 to 2022 was asked whether the 81-year-old president should end his campaign or even resign from office.
‘You know, I think it’s just an individual choice, and you really can’t generalize,’ Fauci told ABC News.
He feels that voters should focus on things that are important to them rather than make a broad generalization on fitness for office.
‘You know, what their passion is, what their energy is,’ Fauci said. ‘Those are the kind of things.’
Ultimately, he said he wouldn’t speak on anything that ‘would have political implications.’
Fauci refused to give a definitive take, instead choosing to speak about his experiences with Biden and gave a sunnier vision of the president that was seen Thursday.
‘He asks probing questions. He’s right on point on things. So my personal experience has been quite positive with him.’
A poll released Sunday reveals 72 percent of voters don’t think Biden has the cognitive faculties for another term in office. This is a seven percent increase from the same poll taken earlier in June before the debate.
Former White House physician Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas) has repeatedly brought Biden’s cognitive and physical health into question.
He suggested that debate prep for seven days at Camp David was a way to get the drug cocktail just right before the showdown with Trump.
Doubts increased from before the debate to after the debate over Biden’s mental acuity and cognitive health.
Biden stumbled his way through the debate with Trump on Thursday, often speaking lowly, mumbling or losing his train of thought. When Trump was speaking, the split screen showed the President with his mouth ajar and a blank stare.
The outcome resulted in a chorus of calls for Biden to end his candidacy – even from some of his biggest supporters.
On the other hand, Trump’s debate performance has only increased his party’s support.
Fifty percent of registered voters think the 78-year-old has the cognitive faculties to run for a second term in 2024 – only 27 percent feel the same about Biden.
It’s unclear what will happen next, but Biden is spending his Sunday at Camp David where he is discussing the future of this race with his family.
Some are blaming First Lady Jill Biden for forcing her husband to continue campaigning for reelection, and Republican Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wy.) accused the first lady of ‘elder abuse.’