According to an analysis by NBC News, it has been reported that President Biden’s frequency of using a shorter staircase to board Air Force One has increased twofold following his embarrassing stumble at a graduation ceremony last month. The White House seems to be accommodating the 80-year-old President as he gears up for a potential second term, aiming to prevent any future viral falls or mishaps from occurring again.
One of the modifications seems to involve the challenging ascent up the stairs to the presidential jet, a moment that has traditionally been an iconic image associated with previous presidents.
Before his widely publicized stumble at the Air Force Academy’s commencement in Colorado, President Biden utilized the shorter set of stairs, which lead into the plane’s belly, to board Air Force One only 37% of the time.
According to the report, in the last seven weeks, there has been a significant increase in President Biden’s use of the short stairs. During this period, he used the shorter set of stairs approximately 84% of the time, which amounts to 31 instances out of the 37 times he boarded or disembarked from the plane.
The White House declined to provide any comments to NBC regarding the stair situation, but an aide mentioned to the network that the decision was influenced by weather considerations.
In the meantime, even former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton acknowledged that Biden’s advanced age is a concern for his electability in the upcoming 2024 elections.
Despite expressing concerns about Biden’s age and electability, Clinton encouraged voters to support the President. She emphasized that Biden’s achievements, such as his contributions to job creation, economic growth, and forward-looking initiatives like CHIPS, often go unrecognized and deserve more credit.
