Biden, 81, sparks fresh health fears by staring blankly ahead as confident Kamala Harris takes lead while meeting Americans freed from Russian prisons

President Joe Biden has sparked caller wellness concerns arsenic he was caught connected camera staring blankly up while his vice president took nan lead during a historic captive switch betwixt nan United States and Russia.

The 81-year-old commandant successful main appeared to beryllium looking disconnected into nan region arsenic Vice President Kamala Harris gave a connection to a newsman Thursday night. 

Biden only moved erstwhile successful nan post-midnight appearance, apparently to scratch his head, pinch his vacant quality quickly noted by viewers.  He did speak earlier connected and did not look to make immoderate verbal flubs - but nonetheless, his consequent look disturbed many. 

'This dude is not there,' Juanita Broaddrick posted connected X, sharing nan video.

'Joe Biden is gone,' Nick Sortor added. 'Absolutely freaking gone. This is pathetic.' 

Broaddrick, who accused erstwhile President Bill Clinton of intersexual battle successful 1978, has been an state of erstwhile President Trump since Hillary Clinton ran for president successful 2016. 

The 'deer successful headlights' infinitesimal for Biden came 1 period aft he told Democratic governors that he plans to extremity holding events past 8 p.m. - truthful he tin get much sleep. 

The precocious nighttime schedule hole came after Axios cited staffers saying he already clocked a succinct 10 americium to 4 p.m. workday, pinch an day nap.

Biden, who had been desperately trying to enactment successful nan statesmanlike title astatine nan time, told nan governors 'that he told his unit he needed to get much sleep,' nan New York Times reported. 

Biden insisted 'he needed to activity less hours and debar events aft 8 p.m.' 

Meanwhile, nan 59-year-old vice president stumbled to praise Biden's efforts to bring location Wall Street Journal newsman Evan Gershkovich and ex-Marine Paul Whelan.

'I americium very thankful to nan president and what he has done his full career, but successful peculiar arsenic it relates to these families and these individuals, what he's done to bring nan friends together connected galore issues, but peculiarly this one,' Harris said, successful a connection that immoderate person branded a 'word salad.' 

'This is conscionable an bonzer testament to nan value of having a president who understands nan powerfulness of diplomacy and understands nan spot that rests successful knowing nan value of diplomacy, she continued.

Stuttering and seemingly stumbling complete her words astatine times, nan Democrat added: '[A]nd strengthening alliances.

'This is conscionable an unthinkable day', she yet concluded, arsenic nan president looked on.  

Harris has taken much of a salient position successful nan management since Biden announced he was dropping retired of nan statesmanlike title and endorsed his vice president to return complete his position.

The determination came aft weeks of concerns astir his intelligence acuity pursuing a disastrous statement pinch erstwhile President Donald Trump. 

Many aesculapian experts person suggested Biden's evident cognitive diminution could beryllium owed to him suffering from Parkinson's illness - particularly aft it emerged that a doctor specializing successful nan illness regularly visited nan White House during Biden's tenure.

Dr Ernst von Schwarz, a cardiologist successful California, told DailyMail.com that Biden's 'dry mouth, fixed stare, very little... manus movements and gestures... could beryllium signs of cognitive decline' caused by his age, aliases 'a neurodegenerative condition' specified arsenic dementia.

But they could besides beryllium owed to medication, he said.

'Keep successful mind that location are ways to amended someone’s reside by aesculapian intervention,' nan expert noted.

'The usage of medications specified arsenic psychostimulants (like Adderall aliases Ritalin among others) is very communal for galore to return conscionable earlier lectures aliases presentations aliases charismatic tasks since they summation dopamine readiness successful nan brain.'

Meanwhile, Harris has taken a commanding lead successful nan statesmanlike race, starring successful Arizona, Michigan, Nevada and Wisconsin.

Amid her surging popularity, Harris was seen greeting Gershkovich, a 32-year-old WSJ reporter, and Whelan, a 54-year-old ex-Marine, arsenic they landed safely astatine Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.

Also freed was Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, who was sentenced to complete six years successful a Russian situation successful a rapid, concealed proceedings precocious past month.

She was seen moving into nan arms of her family Thursday, aft embracing some Kamal Harris and Joe Biden upon exiting nan plane.

But it was Whelan who disembarked first, followed by Gershkovich, and then Kurmasheva. All 3 were seen giving Harris and Biden handshakes earlier blissfully moving into nan arms of their respective families.

Following nan revelry, nan 3 were cleared to return different level to San Antonio, wherever they will beryllium checked retired by doctors and cleared to return home.