Bill Clinton Vouches For Biden’s Health & Cognitive Abilities: ‘He’s In Good Shape’

Former President Bill Clinton came to former President Joe Biden’s defense during an interview on CBS News Sunday Morning, pushing back on mounting speculation about the former president’s mental ability and capacity to serve. Clinton said he had recently spoken at length with Biden and found him to be “in good shape,” dismissing claims of cognitive and physical decline as speculated.

Asked directly whether he had read Original Sin, the new book by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios’s Alex Thompson that paints a bleak portrait of Biden’s ability to lead, Clinton said he hadn’t and didn’t feel the need to. “No, I thought he was a good president,” Clinton said. “The only concern I thought he had to deal with was, could anybody do that job until they were 86?”

He emphasized that previously, Biden was always fully engaged and well-prepared. “We’d had several long talks,” Clinton said. “I had never seen him and walked away thinking he can’t do this anymore. He was always on top of his briefs.”

When pressed on whether he had personally observed any signs of cognitive decline, Clinton gave a firm “no.” He suggested the book and broader conversations about Biden’s age were more politically motivated than fact-based. “I didn’t want to [read it] because he’s not president anymore, and I think he did a good job,” Clinton said.

He also framed the renewed scrutiny as a deflection tactic. “Some people are trying to use this as a way to blame him for the fact that Trump was reelected,” he said, referencing the political fallout from Biden’s controversial decision to run for a second term.