This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Joe Biden's verbal and mental blunders have been evident for anyone watching him to see for several years already.
Call on a member of Congress who's dead? No problem. Relate conversations with foreign leaders, who were dead at the time. No problem. Recall train stories that could not have happened. No problem. Relate those stories again, and again. No problem.
Then a special counsel report explained he likely willfully and knowingly took classified documents to which he was not entitled and kept them in his home, a private office, even a garage. But the report recommended no charges because a jury would view him as an elderly man with "diminished" capabilities and be sympathetic.
Now it is former aides to Barack Obama, for whom Biden was vice president, who are expressing concern over the levels of "frail" and "mumbly" to which Biden has descended.
The New York Post reported Jon Favreau, the chief speechwriter for Obama when Biden was VP, said, "If you watch Joe Biden speak, oftentimes he sounds frail and he sounds more frail than he used to, even in 2019 and 2020.
"The voice sounds frail, and he shuffles more because of the arthritis in his back,” Favreau said.
And, he said, Biden appears "mumbly."
Polls already are showing that some 8 in 10 Americans are concerned about Biden's age, at 81, and his cognitive ability.
Favreau suggested Biden needs to disprove concerns over his gaffes and blunders by appearing on camera more often, and not doing that will make the impression even worse.
“When world events seem like they are overtaking him and he’s not out there enough forcefully, that’s what’s getting people concerned,” Favreau argued.
Podcast co-host Jon Lovett, another ex-Obama speechwriter, agreed and argued that the Biden campaign should get the president out in public to demonstrate his mental and physical abilities — even if they are concerned that he will make more gaffes.
The comments were made during an episode of "Pod Save America."
Favreau explained, "I’m sure that going out there means more missteps … more gaffes that start circulating, but if you don’t view Biden being out there as a net positive, then the argument he shouldn’t be running is right."
Former Obama speechwriter Jon Lovett said Biden should be out in public to demonstrate his abilities, and Dan Pfeiffer, another former adviser to Obama, said in a separate interview with the Courier the issue of Biden's competency is "very real."
Pfeiffer said the issue of age should be Biden's "first strategic priority" because there's already a segment of the voters who have decided, based on what they've seen from him, that he's "too old for the job and can't do it."
Former Obama campaign strategist David Axelrod said the Biden campaign should play up Biden's "personality."
He suggested Biden use his well-known temper to hit President Donald Trump, the likely GOP candidate, with "short phrases with Biden-esque" words.
The Washington Examiner noted the Obama employees who worked directly with Biden when he was VP say he appears to have deteriorated.
Some Democrats say his age gives Biden additional wisdom, and they've even used projection to try to turn concern toward Trump's mental abilities.
Of course, when questions were raised during Trump's presidency, he took and aced a cognitive test. Biden has refused to even consider taking one, telling a critic, "Why should I?"
