In what some see as a problematic sign, President Joe Biden has increasingly favored the use of a shorter ladder when boarding the presidential aircraft, Air Force One. Observers note that this comes after several incidents where he stumbled last year. A Secret Service agent now stands vigilantly at the foot of the stairs—a detail which the New York Times points out could be for the president’s safety.
Air Force One is equipped with two ladders: one permits ascent to the plane’s higher entry point, the other, a shorter variation, leads to a lower door. The president’s switch to the latter has not gone unnoticed, coinciding with heightened precautions around his mobility.
The change coincides with the fallout from a recent report by special counsel Robert Hur, igniting debates around Biden’s capability. In his findings, Hur describes the President as “an elderly man” suffering from “poor memory,” raising questions about his fitness for office. Despite Hur’s investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents and concluding no “mental state of willfulness,” he deemed that it was improbable to secure a conviction should the matter go to trial—citing challenges in persuading a jury of the President’s intent.
Critics argue that such leniency might not be afforded to any other citizen under similar circumstances, underscoring a double standard in accountability for those in the highest offices. Biden’s physical gaffes, combined with the special counsel’s comments, continue to fuel skepticism among conservatives about the President’s overall health and ability to lead effectively.
