NBC Host: Biden's Vocal Issue Makes Kennedy a Potential Asset in Debates

NBC analyst Chuck Todd suggests that President Biden's vocal ailment could benefit him in debates by making him appear comparatively better than Robert Kennedy Jr., who has a neurological condition affecting his voice.

Chuck Todd, an analyst for NBC News, has a unique perspective on the upcoming presidential debates: he believes that Robert Kennedy Jr.'s vocal condition could be an "asset" for President Biden. Todd argues that Biden would appear more composed and articulate in comparison to Kennedy, who has a neurological condition called spasmodic dysphonia that affects his vocal muscles.

This condition gives Kennedy a uniquely hoarse and gravelly voice, a characteristic that Todd believes could work to Biden's advantage. "If you've ever spent a lot of time watching Robert Kennedy Jr. speak, I think if you were Joe Biden, you are going to want him on the debate stage," Todd said on Wednesday.

Todd's remarks came as Biden and former President Trump agreed to two debates that, for the moment, exclude Kennedy since the independent candidate does not appear on enough state ballots. As the oldest president in history, questions about Biden's physical vitality and age have become political sore spots. Todd suggests that Kennedy's unusual manner of speaking could form a helpful contrast with Biden.

"I think there will be a point in the fall that they will actually see that as an asset," Todd said, referring to the Biden campaign. "I'm in the minority in this," Todd admitted.

Todd's suggestion is based on the assumption that Kennedy's vocal condition may offset Biden's personal weaknesses as a candidate. "It will be interesting. I'm not ruling out the possibility that he makes it to the second debate," Todd said.

Biden and Trump have agreed to two debates, one on June 27 hosted by CNN and a second on Sept. 10 hosted by ABC. The Biden-Harris campaign has requested that the debates occur inside a TV studio, with microphones that automatically cut off when a speaker's time limit elapses.

Kennedy's health has become a center of media controversy after a years-old deposition was exposed, showing that the candidate had previously claimed that a parasitic worm ate part of his brain before dying in his skull. Kennedy made the claim during a deposition that took place as part of his 2012 divorce proceedings. He said he had been experiencing "cognitive problems" and feared he was suffering from a brain tumor.

Biden and Kennedy's campaigns did not respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital.

It remains to be seen whether Kennedy's vocal condition will indeed benefit Biden in the debates. However, Todd's perspective offers a unique take on the potential dynamics of the upcoming political face-offs.