Joe Biden's wife, Jill, was "frightened" by his presidential debate performance and believed he was having a medical emergency, the former First Lady has revealed.
Dr Biden said she believed her husband was having a stroke as she watched the former President's 2024 debate, which eventually led to his withdrawal from the race.
She told CBS News: "I was frightened, because I had never ever seen Joe like that before or since. Never.
"I don't know what happened. As I watched it, I thought, 'Oh, my God, he's having a stroke.' And it scared to me death."
Mr Biden was running for a second term as he debated now-President Donald Trump in June 2024.
His poor performance in the debate was lambasted by scores of political analysts and pundits, raising concerns about his ability to continue his job as President for another four years.
His campaign team at the time insisted he would not step down as the Democrat candidate after the debate, which was broadcast live on CNN.
Dr Biden's influence as a sounding board for the former President was documented, and she publicly defended his debate performance in its immediate aftermath.
Jill Biden has said she believed her husband was having a stroke as she watched his 2024 debate performance
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But it is understood that behind the scenes, she encouraged him to withdraw from the 2024 election.
He withdrew from the election one month after the debate, with 107 days to go before the vote.
Michael LaRosa, former Press Secretary for Dr Biden, said her candor has come too late.
He told the New York Post: "Unfortunately, when you wait this long to tell your own story in your own words, it's extremely hard to put the toothpaste back in the tube.
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Joe Biden's 2024 debate performance was criticised by analysts and eventually led to his withdrawal from the election
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"She owed it to herself to be candid and transparent in the moment or the days after.
"The cake is already baked when it comes to shaping public perception about that time and about her."
Last year, Mr Biden revealed he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
After his withdrawal, Mr Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as nominee, but she ultimately lost the November 2024 election to Mr Trump.
Kamala Harris described the decision by Joe Biden to run for a second term as 'recklessness'
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Mrs Harris would later describe the decision by Mr Biden to run for a second term as "recklessness".
She wrote in her memoir: "'It's Joe and Jill's decision.' We all said that, like a mantra, as if we'd all been hypnotised.
"Was it grace, or was it recklessness? In retrospect, I think it was recklessness."
Her comments follow the release of the Democratic National Party commissioned "autopsy" of the election, which blamed Mrs Harris and identity politics for the party's heavy defeat.
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