Biden says ‘I kinda wish sometimes I was cognitively impaired’ in response to Democrat Jerry Nadler saying no one will have concerns about his fitness for office after State of Union speech

President Joe Biden joked “I wish I had a cognitive disability sometimes” after Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler suggested no one would question the 81-year-old’s fitness following Thursday’s State of the Union address.

Biden gave an hour-and-seven-minute speech to a joint session of Congress that included some gaffes — such as accidentally telling Americans he would fly them to Moscow for cheap prescription drugs.

But Biden also impressed Democrats by boldly going after Republicans — berating them over Ukraine financing and derailing the border bill — and taking on former President Donald Trump, though he did not mention him throughout the speech called ‘my predecessor’.

“Nobody’s going to talk about cognitive impairment right now,” Nadler told the president as Biden worked in the House chamber after the speech.

At the compliment, Biden smiled and made his joke.

President Joe Biden worked in the room after delivering his State of the Union address on Thursday. Democrats were thrilled that Bident went after Republicans so vigorously, criticizing them for cutting off funding to Ukraine and derailing a bipartisan border bill

Nadler, a New York Democrat and the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, seemed to pay no attention to Biden throughout.

An image of Nadler scrolling on his phone during the speech quickly went viral

“For those asking, I was endlessly scrolling through all of President Biden’s accomplishments,” Nadler wrote in response to X.

Last week, Biden received his annual medical exam, with the White House chief physician saying the president “showed no new concerns,” calling him “active and robust” and saying he was “fit to serve.”

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that Biden’s team of doctors did not believe the 81-year-old needed a cognitive test, prompting former President Donald Trump to demand Biden take one.

Biden’s age and fitness for office, as the nation’s oldest president, will be among the top issues as the 2024 general election approaches.

During the speech, Biden elaborated on the issue.

He suggested that while he may be old, Trump’s ideas are “old.”

‘Mine “Fellow Americans, the problem facing our nation is not how old we are, but how old our ideas are,” the president said. “Hate, anger, revenge and retaliation are the oldest ideas, but you can’t run America with age-old ideas and just take us back.”

He told the crowd that “when you’re my age, certain things become clearer than ever.”

Biden also joked, “I know I may not look like it, but I’ve been around for a while.”

“I know the American story,” the 81-year-old said. ‘Again and again I have seen the struggle between competing forces in the battle for the soul of our nation.”

“Between those who want to pull America back into the past and those who want to take America into the future,” Biden continued.

“My life has taught me to embrace freedom and democracy, a future based on core values ​​that have defined America: fairness, decency, dignity and equality. To respect everyone. To give everyone a fair chance. To not give hate a safe haven,” the president added.

He then turned to Trump, but never said the name of his likely 2024 rival.

“Other people my age see it differently,” Biden said of the 77-year-old Republican candidate. ‘The American Story of Grudge, Revenge and Retaliation.’

“I’m not,” he said.