Representative Pramila Jayapal had the perfect response to a Fox Business reporter who asked her whether she had any doubts about President Joe Biden’s mental fitness.
Hillary Vaughn asked the Washington state Democrat about Biden’s mental acuity as the two walked down the hallway on Capitol Hill Wednesday night.
“Do you think it’s OK to have a president, though, where there’s this open question about whether or not he’s in cognitive decline?” Vaughn asked.
“Do you think it was OK to have President Trump in cognitive decline for his entire four years?” Jayapal shot back.
Fox Reporter: Do you think it’s ok to have a president where there’s this open question about whether or not he’s in cognitive decline?
— Acyn (@Acyn) July 11, 2024
Jayapal: Do you think it was ok to have Trump in cognitive decline for his entire four years? pic.twitter.com/ZVqWfoAVRT
Jayapal’s right: Donald Trump has repeatedly shown that his memory is slipping. The presumptive Republican nominee is prone to incoherent rambling, slurring his words, and forgetting the names of lawmakers, his doctor, and even his own son. And while all of these examples are from the campaign trail, it’s worth noting that Trump has been making similar gaffes for years, including during his time in the White House.
In 2019, 733 health professionals signed a petition to Congress claiming that Trump’s psychological state was quickly deteriorating. “Donald Trump has the real potential to become ever more dangerous, a threat to the safety of our nation,” they wrote. The same is still true.
Jayapal released a statement Monday emphasizing the stakes of another Trump term, but stopped short of supporting Biden’s candidacy or hinting that the president should drop out. She did have a message for the media, though.
“Any reporter or pundit who is asking about or talking about the aftermath of President Biden’s debate performance and health should also be spending at least the same amount of time and energy talking to Republicans about why they are still supporting a convicted felon who incited an insurrection and wants to be Dictator on Day 1,” Jayapal wrote.
Again, Jayapal hits the nail on the head. Fitness is not just physical or mental; it’s also based on ability and will. And as many of Trump’s former staffers, allies, and friends can attest, his crimes have disqualified him from ever being fit to hold office again.
