ABC Medical Correspondent Notes ‘Glaring Omissions’ In Biden’s Health Report
On Friday, ABC News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton acknowledged the “glaring omissions” in President Joe Biden’s new physical report.
Biden, 81, took an unscheduled trip to Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. While Americans were not made aware of this trip ahead of time, Biden told reporters on the White House lawn that he was headed to his annual physical exam. His appointment with White House physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor was not listed on Biden’s schedule, and was curiously timed to coincide with Hunter Biden’s closed-door testimony before the House Oversight and Judiciary Committees.
Despite calls for Biden to take a cognitive test alongside his physical, the White House has repeatedly claimed there was no need for such a test — even in the aftermath of special counsel Robert Hur’s report that claimed Biden was not mentally fit to stand trial.
During a Friday appearance on “The View,” ABC News chief medical correspondent pointed out the concerning omissions from Biden’s physical exam.
“We do what’s called a review of systems any time we do a physical exam on someone,” Ashton explained. “That includes not only just general neurologic evaluation, but a mental evaluation, a screening for depression or psychiatric illness, mental illness, anxiety — not in there. Cognitive exam — not in there.”
While the White House physician has claimed that Biden’s physical report was comprehensive, Ashton noted that, “if you’re a health care professional, you know what things have not been in there.”
Joy Behar, a co-host on “The View,” immediately dismissed Ashton’s concerns and clearly was pushing Ashton to do the same.
“The question is, can he do the job, and it looks like he can,” Behar claimed.
Ashton mildly pushed back, though she stopped short of confirming that Biden is unfit for duty.
“I am not his physician, but again, he does have a qualified physician, and it was a thorough report, but something is missing,” she said.
Meanwhile, O’Connor declared in a statement following Biden’s exam that he is “healthy” and fit for duty, despite Biden clearly displaying cognitive and physical decline in nearly every public appearance.
“President Biden is a healthy, active 81-year-old male, who remains fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency, to include those as Chief Executive, Head of State and Commander in Chief,” the White House physician claimed.
While reporters and lawmakers demanded that O’Connor answer questions about his report, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declared during Wednesday’s press conference that the Biden administration was “trying to get back to the norm” by preventing the president’s physician from taking questions.
“It is not the norm,” she added. “It is not. It has happened a couple of times over the 35 years, but it’s not the norm.”
