Democrats remarked on Wednesday that a past trip with former President Joe Biden had stirred memories for them of a sick parent. D-Ill Rep. Mike Quigley shared his experience with CNN’s Jake Tapper, recalling a moment during their visit to Ireland when Biden met with the Irish president. “The entire tour was going really well, and the president seemed to be in great spirits,” Quigley said.
He continued, reflecting on his father, who had Parkinson’s disease later in life. “There was a family reunion where he was more animated. You could feel his energy,” Quigley noted. But then, he said, “when it ended, it felt like the air had deflated from the balloons.”
Recently, Biden’s diagnosis of prostate cancer was announced, following a screening that dated back to 2014. Quigley remarked on how, after their interactions, Biden seemed like “a completely different person.” The contrast was stark; Quigley described Biden as “breathtaking…and very frail.”
Quigley was part of over 200 interviews that were done for Tapper’s new book, co-authored with Axios journalist Alex Thompson. The book delves into attempts by Biden’s aides to manage perceptions of his physical and mental well-being, painting a complex picture of the president during his time in office.
Quigley also drew comparisons between Biden and former Democrat Brian Higgins’ father, who passed away due to a neurodegenerative disease. “We felt the same way seeing the president struggle,” he said. “It’s tough to witness someone we respected facing such challenges.”
