A top neurologist says that Joe Biden "definitely" has Parkinson's disease, citing his stiff movements and speech difficulties as "classic" signs of the condition.
The White House confirmed this week that a specialist in movement disorders saw Joe Biden as recently as January, but the administration maintains the visit was part of a routine checkup.
Dr. Tom Pitts, who has not examined Biden, told NBC News that he would diagnose Biden with Parkinson's "from across the mall" based on the symptoms he has publicly exhibited.
Concerns about Biden's fitness have mounted since his feeble debate performance on CNN last month.
During the debate, Biden spoke in a breathy whisper and often appeared confused, blurting out at one point, "we beat Medicare."
Pitts said Biden is an "easy case," citing his rigid movement and difficulty finding words.
"You notice when he turns it's kind of end-block turning; it's not a quick turn," he said.
"He has Parkinsonisms. That is a fact. He has degeneration of the brain. Show me the MRI. Show me he doesn't. Put your money where your mouth is. He definitely has it."
While Biden and his allies have blamed his debate performance on a bad cold, Pitts said Biden's faint, "monotone" voice is a hallmark sign of brain degeneration.
Pitts also dismissed the idea that Biden's speech problems are the result of his well-known stutter.
"This is not a palatal issue or a speech discrepancy," he said, adding Biden is having trouble with "word retrieval."
The White House has struggled to explain reports that a neurologist specializing in movement disorders, Dr. Kevin Cannard, was at the White House eight times in recent months.
Biden's press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre caused a furor by stonewalling questions about the visits, only to later admit that Cannard met with Biden's doctor, Kevin O'Connor, in January. She said the visit was related to Biden's annual physical.
O'Connor gave his explanation in a letter stating that Cannard saw Biden only three times for his regular checkups.
O'Connor emphasized Cannard's broad expertise in treating "a variety of patients and problems" including members of the military.
O'Connor included a February summary of Biden's most recent physical that said Biden showed no signs of any neurological diseases, like Parkinson's.
Biden has declined to take a cognitive test, telling ABC News in a recent interview, "I have a cognitive test every day."
