Democrats and the White House launched a vigorous counteroffensive on Friday against a special counsel report that thrust Joe Biden's age and memory into the spotlight, triggering a series of Republican attacks on the President. Special counsel Robert Hur's report on Biden's handling of confidential documents concluded that criminal charges would not be filed, but the report characterized Biden as elderly with a failing memory, creating a political storm around a perceived vulnerability in Biden's re-election campaign.
White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre emphasized that Biden is aware of public perceptions but pointed to statements by former Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who viewed the President as a sharp negotiator. In an extended question and answer session with the press, other Biden administration officials defended the President's extensive legislative record and his handling of various crises.
The White House spokesperson Ian Sams strongly disputed the special counsel's description of Biden's memory, stating that the report's characterizations were inaccurate. Sams hinted at the possibility of releasing transcripts of Biden's interviews with Hur's team, shedding light on comments about the President's memory, including instances where he couldn't recall specific details.
Democrats swiftly drew comparisons between Biden's challenges and those of his likely 2024 rival, former President Donald Trump. While Trump faces legal issues related to confidential documents, unlike Biden, he is being prosecuted for obstructing document recovery at his Mar-a-Lago resort. Despite facing criminal charges and making campaign trail gaffes, Trump and his Republican allies sought to depict Biden as mentally unfit for office, prompting a robust response from Democrats.
Vice President Kamala Harris criticized Hur's comments as "gratuitous, inaccurate, and inappropriate," noting that the President's interview took place in the intense aftermath of a terrorist attack in Israel. Democratic figures like Senators John Fetterman and Tammy Baldwin defended Biden's record, with Fetterman dismissing the report as a "smear job."
In response to the issue, the Biden administration plans to establish a task force to review the handling of classified documents during presidential transitions, acknowledging the need for improved processes. The move aims to address concerns raised not only about Biden but also about Trump's former Vice President, Mike Pence, who was found to have inadvertently possessed some confidential documents.