“Those closest to President Biden knew full well that he had changed. “He spoke more slowly than he did just a few years ago and had to stand up and stop walking in the presidential limousine.” new york times report.
“The biggest problem is the perception of age,” said Mike Donilon, a 2022 Biden strategist.
“They rescheduled the meeting to make Mr. Biden feel better. One person close to him said the strategy was to explain to aides how they should treat the president. At times, they put off sharing information with him, debating how best to frame information, including negative polling data. “As he walked from the White House to where the presidential helicopter was waiting on the South Lawn, he was surrounded by aides so that news cameras would not capture his awkward demeanor.”
“They asked Mr. Biden to use a teleprompter, even at small fundraisers in private homes, to surprise donors and ask them questions in advance. They came up with a way to replace the grand staircase the president uses to board Air Force One with a shorter set that leads directly to the bow of the plane. “I reprimanded the White House correspondents who reported on the president’s age,” he said.
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