Dingell Defends Biden's Silence on Health, Emphasizes Unity

Representative Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) pushed back against CNN host Kasie Hunt's questioning of President Biden's decision not to address his health in his national address, urging the media to focus less on Biden's age and more on his agenda and the upcoming election.

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Dingell Defends Biden's Silence on Health, Emphasizes Unity

Democratic Representative Debbie Dingell on Thursday strongly defended President Biden's decision not to address his health or age during his recent national address, urging CNN host Kasie Hunt and the media at large to move beyond those topics and focus on the president's agenda and the upcoming election.

In an interview on CNN's "New Day," Hunt asked Dingell why Biden did not touch upon his health or age in his address to the nation the previous evening. Dingell responded by expressing her belief that the media has already sufficiently discussed those matters.

Dingell Defends Biden's Silence on Health, Emphasizes Unity

"Can I ask a question? Have we talked about it enough? I mean, the country knows that happened. They saw it play out in real time. He made it clear that he thought he could still serve, but he wanted to bring the party together. I am not somebody who appreciated the circular firing squad the last three weeks. I think there are ways to communicate things to people without doing it in some of the ways that were done," said Dingell.

Dingell pointed out that Biden has already declared his intention to serve out the rest of his term, and she criticized the media for continuing to question his fitness for office.

Dingell Defends Biden's Silence on Health, Emphasizes Unity

"Will the press ever stop criticizing? And when are we going to start doing a little more on Donald Trump? I think it was a very poignant evening. He talked about what was ahead, what we needed to do, why he was doing it, and here we are," added Dingell.

Dingell argued that Biden's address laid out a clear vision for the future of the country and emphasized the importance of unity and hope. She believes that the focus should be on the challenges facing the nation and Biden's plans to address them.

"I think he laid out very clearly what the future is. It's the difference between hope and hate, unity and division. And I hope everybody in America heard that I think he laid that out. He clearly passed the torch, clearly also, six more months of his presidency, a lot of work to be done. This isn't a goodbye yet, folks," said Dingell.

Dingell also praised Vice President Kamala Harris during Biden's address, who she described as "experienced, tough, and capable." She believes that Harris is ready to step into the role of president if necessary.

"She is experienced, she is tough, she is capable. She's been an incredible partner to me and a leader for our country," said Dingell.

Biden's decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race has sparked a debate within the Democratic Party, with some arguing that he should have stayed in the race to prevent a potential split in the party. Dingell, however, believes that Biden's decision was the right one and that the party will ultimately unite behind Harris.

"I think he laid out very clearly what the future is. It's the difference between hope and hate, unity and division. And I hope everybody in America heard that I think he laid that out. He clearly passed the torch, clearly also, six more months of his presidency, a lot of work to be done. This isn't a goodbye yet, folks," said Dingell.

Dingell is a close ally of Biden and has been a vocal supporter of the president throughout his term. Her defense of Biden's health and his decision not to address it in his national address reflects the ongoing debate within the Democratic Party about how to navigate the issue of Biden's age and fitness for office.