Joe Biden’s team have initiated a desperate plan to prevent the president from falling over amid fears the octogenarian will accidentally unleash a new string of gaffes.
Biden, who turned 81 today, did not celebrate the occasion with a lavish event unlike his predecessors but rather set in motion a plan to mark the milestone with a private event in Nantucket later this week.
As Biden continues his journey as the oldest president in American history, current and former administration officials have advised the 81-year-old’s staff should stop treating him like an old man and should instead let him interact with the public and reporters more without intervention.
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However, other officials have enacted a plan dubbed “Operation Bubble Wrap” to prevent Biden from tripping and falling in a bid to prevent him from looking frail ahead of the 2024 elections.
Included in the bid to reduce the number of falls, are four measures in particular - a strict exercise regime, dieting, good footwear and reducing trip hazards.
Biden reportedly wakes up around 7am to start his day with a workout and spends time with a personal trainer and a physiotherapist to try and improve his balance and reduce falls after he was diagnosed with “a combination of significant spinal arthritis” and “mild post-fracture foot arthritis” by his doctor.
His wife, Jill, also plays a part as she reportedly has the president on a fish and vegetables diet to keep him fit ahead of the re-election campaign.
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Biden falls over sandbag in Colorado
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The president has also been photographed wearing trainers more often in a bid to avoid slips although still has the occasional gaffe such as when he tripped over a sandbag at the US Air Force Academy graduation in Colorado.
Although the White House has publically refuted Biden’s mobility concerns, reporters have noted that the president now uses a shortened version of the Air Force One staircase, making it easier for him to board.
One Siena College poll of battleground states found 71 per cent of respondents said Biden was “too old” to be president.
Biden stumbles climbing stairs
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By contrast, just 39 per cent said the same of former president Donald Trump.
Rather than pointing to the president’s age when asked about his birthday, White House communications director Ben LaBolt chose to focus on Biden’s accomplishments.
“Because of President Biden’s decades of experience in public service and deep relationships with leaders in Congress, he passed legislation that has helped to create more than 14 million jobs, lower prescription drug costs, invest in America’s infrastructure and technology and led to the strongest economic recovery in the developed world,” LaBolt said.
“He has revitalized alliances on the world stage — cultivated over many years — to promote America’s interests and respond forcefully when global crises arise.”
However, political analyst John B Judis warned Biden’s age means “He doesn’t look and speak the part”.
Judis told the New York Times: “He’s not a commanding or charming presence on a presidential or presidential election stage.”
