The longtime former doctor of 44th President Barack Obama said that the White House will likely "sugarcoat" the state of President Joe Biden's health when his weeks-delayed physical is completed.
Dr. David Scheiner, who served as Obama's personal physician for more than 20 years before he was elected president, told the Washington Examiner that Biden's advanced age is a major health concern, despite his performance as commander-in-chief exceeding expectations.
"You're not going to learn anything," Scheiner said. "They sugarcoat these things."
He stressed that Biden's expected reelection campaign adds urgency to the calls for transparency over his health.
"By the time he completes [a second term], he'll be 86 years old; I don't care if he's in perfect health now," Scheiner said. "I don't care if he's in perfect health now — which, I can't believe he's in perfect health. He's had too many things in his past history.
"It worries me that he is aging," he added. "If I look at him, he's not a young 80."
Scheduled for Feb. 16, Biden's annual physical exam comes after weeks of delays that the White House attributed to his evolving travel schedule.
The president told reporters over Thanksgiving that part of the exam was completed last year.
The delay has led to criticism from Biden's political opponents who question whether he is fit to lead the country as he gears up for an expected reelection bid.
Biden's gait was described by his doctor as "perceptibly stiffer and less fluid" in 2021; Scheiner said it could be an indication of his overall health.
"The gait is not an insignificant factor," he told the Examiner, adding that it provides "a peek into the whole physical, mental capability of a person."
Scheiner said Biden's physical should include a neurocognitive exam or an MRI, but said this was unlikely.
"The one thing they don't check is a careful examination of the mind," he said. "I don't think any candidate wants it. They're afraid they might find something.
"Biden had an aneurysm repaired," he continued. "When you do work on the brain, there's always a little damage done. He's had that atrial fibrillation — that can sometimes throw off small strokes. They're leaving a whole area of concern in my mind."
The White House press secretary said the president's doctor would release a public memo on the state of his health.
"We want to be transparent, want to make sure you have the information," Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Tuesday.
Biden's physician wrote that he "remains fit for duty, and fully executes all of his responsibilities without any exemptions or accommodations" at the time of his last physical in November 2021.
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