After several embarrassing tripping or stumbling episodes, Joe Biden has been using a shorter staircase to board and debark from Air Force One for the past few months. Photos and videos show Biden climbing up and down a short staircase that leads to the undercarriage of the presidential Boeing 747-200B rather than the long staircase to the cabin traditionally taken by able-bodied presidents.
Biden has fallen or stumbled in public at least three times this year: In Warsaw in February, Saturday in Delaware and most notably at the Air Force Academy graduation ceremony on June 1st where Biden fell and had trouble standing back up on his own.
President @JoeBiden Stumbles Onstage at Air Force Academy Graduation Ceremony in Colorado, Returns to White House And Playfully Jokes ‘I Got Sandbagged’
President Joseph R. Biden Jr. stumbled and fell onstage on Thursday, June 1, 2023, after delivering a commencement address at… pic.twitter.com/yembY5mlnv
— Simon Ateba (@simonateba) June 2, 2023
Video posted Monday morning by the RNC of Biden boarding Air Force One for a fundraising trip to California shows Biden taking the short steps without incident.
Biden — fresh off a weekend vacation at the beach — takes no questions as he boards the plane for California, where he’ll spend the next few days schmoozing and fundraising with liberal billionaires. pic.twitter.com/8kP3N4GNcP
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 19, 2023
Bloomberg reporter Akayla Gardner photo:
Next stop: California for @POTUS pic.twitter.com/Icbcw8SEob
— Akayla Gardner (@gardnerakayla) June 19, 2023
New York Times photographer Al Drago on June 9:
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden arrive aboard Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, following a day trip to North Carolina, on Friday. pic.twitter.com/vR763cgek4
— Al Drago (@Al_Drago) June 10, 2023
Using the short steps is not entirely safe for Biden. He almost stumbled off Air Force One on Saturday in Delaware:
Biden almost stumbles getting off Air Force One as he arrives in Delaware for a weekend getaway at his beach home.
Biden has spent nearly 40% of his presidency on vacation. pic.twitter.com/1gmJHuNhE0
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 17, 2023
Biden used the short steps in Ireland in April:
Joe Biden arrives in Dublin, Ireland — accompanied by Hunter Biden pic.twitter.com/xD15aujj0K
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 12, 2023
Biden used the traditional staircase in a visit to California six months ago:
PHOTOS: President Joe Biden makes a quick stop at Moffett Field in Mountain View before departing with Governor Newsom by helicopter to Watsonville. @KCBSRadio pic.twitter.com/Vb8NtXppFv
— Mike DeWald (@mike_dewald) January 19, 2023
And on March 28:
President Biden departs Air Force One in North Carolina on March 28, 2023. pic.twitter.com/nEQ7gIZJGf
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 29, 2023
Biden fell using the long staircase in Poland last February:
🚨 BREAKING: Joe Biden FALLS up the stairs of Air Force One departing Warsaw, Poland pic.twitter.com/zPEJsbSFTe
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) February 22, 2023
Biden has used the short stairs on occasion in the years before:
President Joe Biden arrives aboard Air Force One at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on Sunday.
Biden is in Minneapolis to speak at the memorial service of former Vice President Walter Mondale. pic.twitter.com/LeuI71pET9
— Al Drago (@Al_Drago) May 1, 2022
But not with the regularity of the past few months.
