US President Joe Biden appeared to struggle to speak at several points during the start of the US presidential debate. CNN on the night of this Thursday (27).
Biden cleared his throat and coughed several times, a condition his doctor previously stated was caused by acid reflux.
The president has “occasional symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux, particularly having to clear his throat more frequently,” Dr. Kevin O’Connor, the president’s physician, said in a statement following his physical examination in February.
These symptoms, O’Connor wrote, “are usually exacerbated shortly after meals.” The president takes Pepcid in the morning and Nexium at night for “acid control,” O’Connor added.
Additionally, Biden has been battling a cold for the past few days, according to sources. His voice sounded hoarse and rough during the debate, even more than usual.
Biden has also struggled with a stutter, something he has openly addressed and has had a profound effect on him.
He stated during an interview with CNN in February 2020 that “still occasionally, when I feel very tired” he ends up stuttering.
“It has nothing to do with your intelligence quotient. It has nothing to do with your intellectual constitution,” Biden highlighted at the time.
He stressed that he thinks “part of it is confidence” and that he has to “think in terms of not rushing.”
Historical debate
The debate on CNN between Joe Biden and Donald Trump is the first in the 2024 presidential race, reviving the confrontation between the Democrat and the Republican for the White House.
In a historic event, this is the first time that a sitting president and a former president have debated in the United States.
The debate takes place in the studios of CNN in Atlanta, Georgia.
Source: CNN Brasil
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