Biden Told Governors He'll Change His Schedule

Trying to demonstrate he's sharper mentally than he showed during his debate against Donald Trump, President Biden spoke at a public event on Thursday. He hosted a holiday barbecue at the White House in the late afternoon for military members and their families and made brief, prepared remarks. It was Biden's fifth public appearance since the debate, the New York Times reports. On Friday, he plans to campaign in Wisconsin, per the AP, and be interviewed by ABC's George Stephanopoulos, a session scheduled to air Friday evening. Other developments involve:

• A change in schedule: After blaming his debate performance partly on his full schedule and jet lag, Biden has concluded that he should devote more hours to sleep and fewer to work. The comments came in his meeting Wednesday with Democratic governors, the New York Times reports. Biden said he hadn't been listening to aides' cautions about his schedule and should avoid attending events after 8pm. One comment that was described by his campaign chair as a joke by the president fell flat with at least one governor, per the Times. In assuring Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, who's a physician, that his health is good, Biden added, "It's just my brain."
• A doctor's visit: The meeting produced the revelation that Biden has seen a doctor since the debate. White House aides had said he hadn't. Biden mentioned the visit when assuring the governors about his health. A White House rep confirmed to the Hill that Biden saw a doctor about his cold, from which he said the president is "recovering well."
• Reading: The Washington Post looks at Biden's increased use of teleprompters—even in the kitchen of a donor's home. The reliance has reduced the number of gaffes, which aides welcome, but also has meant fewer of the off-the-cuff remarks that helped him connect with voters, per the Post. Donald Trump also uses teleprompters heavily, of course, even complaining when he contends they're misbehaving, per the AP.

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