President Biden nearly took another embarrassing fall Wednesday after climbing a short flight of stairs on Air Force One ahead of a campaign trip to Wisconsin.
Biden, 81, was able to climb the stairs without incident, but before entering the cabin of the presidential plane, he turned around and waved in a salute, before staggering onto a nearby railing to steady himself. He staggered noticeably.
Video footage captured the ordeal at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, ahead of Biden’s visit to Racine County, Wisconsin, where he received a $3.3 billion loan from Microsoft for a new artificial intelligence data center. It was planned to promote dollar investments.
Biden was also scheduled to attend a campaign event in the Badger State before heading to Chicago for another fundraiser.
The president frequently chooses to use the short 14-step staircase at the back of Air Force One, rather than climbing the traditional 18-foot staircase to the top door at the front of the aircraft.
White House officials have repeatedly downplayed Biden’s increased reliance on short steps after repeated stumbles and near misses.
Back in February, Biden stumbled twice while boarding the presidential plane, raising new questions about his advanced age.
“You know how old he is, and I know you don’t want to say it. [former President Donald] Trump is a very scary person, but he is very old… When you watch him on TV, you get nervous, right? ” comedian Jon Stewart mused during a performance in Los Angeles last week.
Biden is already the oldest president in U.S. history, turning 86 at the end of his second four-year term.
His rival, former President Donald Trump, is 77 years old and will be 82 when he leaves office in January 2029.
While Biden acknowledges that his age is a legitimate concern, he has tried to defuse questions about it with humor.
“The 2024 election is in full swing. And yes, age matters,” he quipped at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner last month. “I’m a grown man fighting a 6-year-old.”
Aides and allies insist Mr. Biden is as sharp as ever and capable of handling the demanding tasks of the presidency.
But polls repeatedly show that most Americans disagree with this.
