Former George W. Bush Press Secretary Blasts Joe Biden
In an interview with Fox News broadcast on Friday night, former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer weighed in on former Vice President Joe Biden‘s presidential campaign.
Fleischer discussed Biden’s most recent “gaffes,” apparently suggesting that the Democratic Party’s presumptive presidential nominee may be experiencing cognitive decline
“The real question is, is something going on that’s getting worse? And this is where I do regret the fact that all the candidates are stuck at home,” Fleischer said, adding that voters should be given the opportunity to see how well Biden performs under stress.
“It is only right and proper for the American people to see these people in the thick of a campaign where their mettle is tested. Let’s see what Joe Biden’s got. Let’s see if this is just minor things.”
“Lots of people get mixed up on words, get statistics or numbers wrong. It does happen,” Fleischer, who served in former President George W. Bush‘s White House, said.
Biden made what is being described as a gaffe earlier this week. The former vice president seemed to fumble his figures when discussing the number of COVID-19 cases and unemployment numbers in the U.S., saying that 85,000 Americans are out of work due to the coronavirus pandemic.
President Donald Trump and his allies have also tried to cast doubt on Biden’s mental fitness. Trump’s campaign manager, Brad Parscale, has publicly suggested that Biden is experiencing cognitive decline and the president has made a number of similar remarks. The Trump campaign is reportedly split on this issue, with some advisers calling for a more cautious approach, and others urging the president to ramp up the attacks.
But, according to Fleischer, the main problem with Biden is that he is “running to the far-left.” The former White House press secretary pointed out that Biden put New York Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez — a self-described democratic socialist — on his campaign’s climate change committee.
Fleischer said that Ocasio-Cortez’s appointment is a “terrible signal” and “an indication” that Biden is moving left. The former Bush official concluded that Biden is caving to pressure from the Democratic Party’s left flank. According to Fleischer, Biden has “walked away” from his moderate record.
Left-leaning lawmakers and activists have criticized Biden for not embracing a more progressive agenda. As The Hill reported, Jeff Weaver, a top adviser to Sen. Bernie Sanders presidential campaign, recently released a memo warning the Democratic Party about the lack of enthusiasm for Biden’s candidacy.
Weaver stated that the former vice president faces a “clear and dangerous trend” that could lead to Trump’s victory. The operative said that Biden is struggling with young and working class voters, arguing that he needs to expand his coalition to win.
