The special counsel’s report described the president as an ‘elderly man with a poor memory.’
President Joe Biden held a news conference on Thursday evening to respond to questions about comments made by special counsel Robert Hur about his “poor memory.”
“My memory is fine,” President Biden said amidst intense questioning from the press.
“Take a look at what I’ve done since I’ve become president.”
Mr. Hur’s 388-page report to Attorney General Merrick Garland, released on Feb. 8, concluded that President Biden would not face criminal charges for allegedly mishandling classified documents.
Yet, what captured the greatest attention within the report was the special counsel’s depiction of the president’s mental fitness. The special counsel concluded that the president was not capable of being held responsible for illegally moving classified documents, describing him as “a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”
“I’m well-meaning; I’m an older man, and I know what the hell I’m doing,” President Biden responded. “I’ve been president, and I put this country back on its feet. I don’t need his recommendation.”
The president said that the special counsel’s task was to determine if he should be charged, not make “extraneous commentary.”
“It has no place in this report,” he said.
“In his interview with our office, Mr. Biden’s memory was worse,” the special counsel report stated. “He did not remember when he was vice president, forgetting on the first day of the interview when his term ended … and forgetting on the second day of the interview when his term began.”
“He did not remember, even within several years, when his son Beau died. And his memory appeared hazy when describing the Afghanistan debate that was once so important to him.”
President Biden became emotional when addressing the report’s statements about his recollection of when his son died.
“How in the hell dare he raise that?” he said. “Frankly, when I was asked the question, I thought to myself it was none of their damn business.”
Earlier, the president welcomed the special counsel’s decision not to pursue charges in his classified documents probe, saying he would continue to focus on his job as president.
“This was an exhaustive investigation going back literally more than 40 years,” President Biden said at this year’s House Democratic retreat in Leesburg, Virginia.
“Special counsel acknowledged I cooperated completely. I did not throw up any roadblocks. I sought no delays,” he said.
He added that he provided the special counsel with all necessary information, including a 5-hour in-person interview conducted over two days in October.
“I was especially pleased to see the Special Counsel made clear the stark difference between this case and Donald Trump’s,” he added.
Several “material differences” between the cases of former President Trump and President Biden are apparent, the special counsel said in his report.
“Most notably, after being given multiple chances to return classified documents and avoid prosecution, Mr. Trump allegedly did the opposite,” the report said.
By Emel Akan and Caden Pearson
