‘I Saw It Firsthand’: Former Dem Rep Says She Had ‘A Lot Of Concern’ About Biden’s Ability ‘To Speak’

Former Democratic Rep. Susan Wild of Pennsylvania claimed President Joe Biden’s “mental acuity” was present in a Wednesday CNN appearance but admitted she was concerned about his ability “to speak.”

Biden announced he would end his reelection bid July 21, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination for president following weeks of pressure after a poor performance in a June 27 CNN debate with former President Donald Trump. Wild said that “the age issue” and the CNN debate were “factors” working against Biden.

“Susan Page, who you may know, a longtime Washington — very well-respected Washington journalist, she says, ‘Do you believe you could have won in November?’ Biden says, ‘It‘s presumptuous to say that, but I think yes, based on the polling that…’ — and then she jumps in and she says, ‘Do you think you would have had the vigor to serve another four years in office?’ Biden says, ‘I don‘t know. Who the hell knows? So far, so good, but who knows what I’m going to be when I’m 86 years old?’ Would that honesty have helped Democrats four years ago?” CNN host Kasie Hunt asked Wild, who lost her reelection bid in November.

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“That line would not have helped Democrats. And I think that — who knows whether he could have won, but we can’t underestimate the fact that having a woman, a woman of color at the top of the ticket may or may not have not helped Democrats win the presidency,” Wild said. “So, I‘m not sure. But the age issue, the competence issue, that debate performance, those were all huge mitigating factors against Joe Biden. So, hard to say.”