In an October interview with Special Counsel Robert Hur, President Biden exhibited moments of confusion regarding significant personal and political dates, including the year his son Beau succumbed to brain cancer and the year Donald Trump secured the presidency, as revealed by a transcript of the conversation.
The discussion, which aimed to address why Biden retained sensitive documents after his vice-presidential tenure ended in 2017, veered into a complex explanation. Biden mentioned that during this period, his son Beau was either deployed or in the throes of his battle with cancer, despite Beau’s passing occurring in 2015, two years prior to Biden leaving office.
Biden, who celebrated his 81st birthday in November, seemed uncertain about the timeline, especially when questioned about the storage of papers post-vice presidency while residing on Chain Bridge Road in Virginia. He reflected on the challenges he faced during that time, including his son’s critical condition and the encouragement he received to pursue a presidential run, despite President Barack Obama’s preference for Hillary Clinton as the candidate with a better chance of winning.
The conversation took a poignant turn when Biden struggled to recall the exact date of his son’s death, a moment clarified by White House lawyer Rachel Cotton and another individual, who reminded him that Beau died in 2015.
This lapse in memory starkly contradicted Biden’s later frustration over Hur’s mention of his son’s death, which Biden initially claimed was brought up unsolicited by the special counsel. However, the transcript indicates that Biden himself introduced the topic.
Further instances of forgetfulness were noted during the interview, including Biden’s incorrect recollection of Trump’s election year and momentary lapses in remembering what a fax machine was, requiring prompts from his staff.
Biden’s handling of classified materials was also discussed, with him admitting to occasionally bringing such documents to his Wilmington lake house, citing the necessity of conducting business from there. His memory faltered again when trying to recall the agency responsible for managing classified documents post-presidency, as well as the specifics of who handled the documents’ transfer.
The transcript, obtained by The Post before Hur’s House Judiciary Committee appearance, underscores the investigation into Biden’s retention of classified national security information post-office. Hur’s report last month, which opted against recommending charges against Biden, portrayed the president as a sympathetic figure impacted by age-related memory challenges.
In his Judiciary Committee remarks, Hur emphasized the importance of transparency in his decision-making process, given the high-profile nature of the investigation involving the sitting president. He stressed that the evidence, including Biden’s own admissions, made the president’s memory a central issue in the case.