Former Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio blasted President Joe Biden for refusing to take several steps that he claimed could assuage concerns about his age in the wake of a June 27 debate with former President Donald Trump.
Biden has resisted calls to step aside after a poor performance in the CNN debate with former President Donald Trump during which Biden froze at least twice, lost his train of thought and made multiple verbal gaffes. Ryan, who came under fire from Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania for speaking out about Biden, said he was trying to “speak the truth” about concerns regarding Biden’s mental capacity. (RELATED: Trump Pulling Away From Biden With Key Dem Voting Blocs: POLL)
“I have every right to say whatever I want and if I have a little bit of a bigger microphone than most citizens, you can bet I’m gonna use it and if it makes you a little bit uncomfortable, that’s not my problem,” Ryan told Fox News host Neil Cavuto. “Look, I like John Fetterman. He ran a good race. I ran a good race. He came out on top. I didn’t. But I still got a voice, and what we need in this democracy are citizens that aren’t afraid to speak up if they may make somebody uncomfortable. And chances are if you’re making people really uncomfortable, you may be speaking to some truth that’s out there.”
WATCH:
Former Dem Rep Rips Biden For Avoiding ‘Hostile Environments,’ Not Taking ‘Cognitive Test’ Following Debate pic.twitter.com/j9CUyVauoi
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) July 8, 2024
“And I’m just not going to bury my head in the sand and pretend I didn’t see what I saw on Thursday night,” Ryan continued. “And I think we have to take another direction here so we can win this race, and you can call me all the names you want and try to poke fun at me all you want. I don’t get rattled. I just try to speak the truth which is a very powerful thing. And that’s why a lot of Democrats are very, very concerned.”
Biden has faced calls to drop out of the presidential race since the debate, with Democratic Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Texas being the first elected Democrat to issue a public statement urging Biden’s withdrawal, with at least eight other House Democrats following suit according to Axios and the New York Daily News.
“They need the voice and need somebody to speak up. And to tell someone to not speak up, to shut up because they may say something you disagree with, like, take a cognitive test. Like, do town halls. Go do a Fox town hall like I did when I ran for the United States Senate. Get in a hostile environment and make your points, make your case, and prove to people,” Ryan said.
“You can’t read off a teleprompter, you can’t read cards off a telephone interview you’re doing and expect everyone to just get in line, and this last story coming out about the doctor going and not answering that question,” Ryan continued, referencing a fiery White House press briefing Monday afternoon where multiple reporters pressed White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre about reports a neurologist specializing in Parkinson’s Disease visited with a White House doctor.
Ryan also called out Democrats who criticized those who raised concerns about Biden.
“So, what do you want us to do?” Ryan asked rhetorically. “Like, we are seeing this with our own eyes, and you’re getting mad at us, and that’s ridiculous and so, anyway, that’s all I gotta say about that.”
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
