Biden's wife feared stroke during 2024 debate
Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
News
Named sources
Context piece
- Jill Biden recalled fearing her husband, then-U.S. President Joe Biden, had a stroke during a 2024 debate with Donald Trump due to his poor performance.
- Biden's performance, marked by frequent stuttering and a weak voice, led to calls for his resignation from the Democratic party, ultimately resulting in his withdrawal from the presidential race.
- Jill Biden played a crucial role in both encouraging her husband's re-election bid and persuading him to step down, with then-Vice President Kamala Harris eventually taking over as the nominee.
Jill Biden feared her husband, then-U.S. President Joe Biden, suffered a stroke during a pivotal 2024 debate with Donald Trump, she revealed in a recent interview. The first lady described the debate as terrifying, stating she had never seen Joe Biden perform so poorly before or since.
I thought he was having a stroke.
During the June 27, 2024, debate, Biden exhibited frequent stuttering, a weak voice, and unfocused eyes, leading to widespread concerns about his cognitive abilities due to his age. His struggles during the debate prompted significant pressure for him to withdraw from the presidential race, a decision he ultimately made. His successor, then-Vice President Kamala Harris, went on to lose the election to Trump.
"I didn't know what was happening," Jill Biden told CBS News, recounting her fear that her husband was having a stroke. The Biden campaign initially attributed his poor performance to a cold. However, subsequent stumbles, including a gaffe at a NATO summit and a bout with COVID-19 that left him weakened, contributed to his eventual decision to withdraw.
I was so scared. Joe had never looked like that before or since.
Jill Biden, a key advisor throughout her husband's political career, was instrumental in both encouraging his re-election bid and persuading him to step down. Her influence was seen as decisive in both instances. Following the election loss, Harris criticized Biden's decision to run, calling it "reckless" in her memoir.
It was reckless.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
More Stories
From Our Blog
What Gets Lost (and Found) When News Is Translated
The Critical Role of Diaspora Media in Global News
What Travellers Should Know About Countries with Restricted Press
A Digital Nomad's Guide to Following Local News
How the Same Story Looks Different in Different Countries
