President Joe Biden has been taking a lot of trips lately. But that doesn’t mean vacations.
Biden nearly took a trip down the stairs on Tuesday after stepping off Air Force One in Michigan. Only hours earlier, it had come to light that his campaign team had been trying to keep the president from embarrassing himself in public during the election.
The president, who is 80, had just arrived in Detroit and stepped off his jet at Detroit Metro Airport.
Biden lost his footing after reaching the eighth step, giving his handlers another scare. They are desperate not to have Biden appear feeble.
The White House doctor diagnosed Biden with “severe spinal arthritis” earlier this year. Since then, he has fallen numerous times, prompting many to question his fitness for office in light of his age and the frequency of his falls.
On Tuesday, reports claimed that Biden’s staff is actively encouraging him to wear tennis shoes and limit the amount of times he uses the stairs. Previous public humiliation is job one.
Drew Contreras, former White House assistant for President Obama’s physical treatment, is also part of his team. Contreras has recommended exercises to the president to improve his coordination and posture.
In addition to wearing sneakers, Biden has begun taking a different, shorter staircase that led to a floor below Air Force One. Having him fall, out of public view, on the plane’s interior steps is more desirable.
A fall by Biden during the election season may be disastrous for his campaign, as he is already under scrutiny due to his elderly age.
According to a poll by the Associated Press this past summer, 89% of Republicans and 69% of Democrats feel that Biden is too old to be a viable contender for the next four years.
Three out of every five Democrats want someone else to be the party’s nominee in 2024, according to a Washington Post and ABC News poll conducted this week.
