Joe Biden details the bizarre advice Republican gave him to 'look more energetic'
Warning: This article contains discussion of cancer which some readers may find distressing.
Joe Biden's new memoir has revealed the moment he received some strange advice from former Senator Mitt Romney during a White House event.
When he was 79, nearly turning 80, Biden received what the giver of the comment perceived to be pearl of wisdom during a private White House tour.
In May 2022, when Biden himself still sat as president of the US, former Senator Mitt Romney paid a visit to the White House with his family and decided to pull him aside.
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Honing in on the president's posture and movement, in Promise Me, America, Biden claims Romney decided to give him some tips.
He allegedly told the then-president: "Pump your arms."
And, to be expected, the comment caught Biden a little off-guard.
Biden's memoir states he turned to Romney to question: "Excuse me?"
Before the then-senator repeated: "Pump your arms, and you’ll look more energetic and confident."
Granted, Biden noted he believed it to be good advice, however his book continues: "I believed the experience and the wisdom I had gained over fifty years in public life outweighed the obvious weaknesses of age."
Indeed, the following year, Romney called for Biden and Donald Trump to 'stand aside for a new generation of leaders'.
Addressing his own retirement, he told reporters: "At the end of another term I'd be in my mid-80s. Frankly, it's time for a new generation of leaders. While I'm not running for re-election, I'm not retiring from the fight."
At the time, Biden was 80 and Trump 77, both preparing for the 2024 elections.
Despite Romney's calls for a fresh generation to take over, Biden served as president of the US until January 20, 2025 with Trump taking over for a second term after.
However, with news of Biden's stage four cancer diagnosis, he has since reflected on his presidency, telling PEOPLE he would've resigned had he realized he was 'feeling lousy' because of it.
He continued: “I would’ve not gone forward, because I don’t think an 80-year-old man with cancer should be running for [president]. But that wasn’t the case.
"I believe that on an objective basis. I was the best-equipped person to do the job."
Biden was diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer just 118 days after leaving office.
His new memoir is set for release on November 17, however, the former president has been forced to take a backseat on his tour as a result of his cancer treatment.
He told PEOPLE earlier in the month his recent test results have been 'very positive,' and resolved in his new book: "All I can do — with the help of an incredible medical team and an even better family — is fight like hell. And that’s what I’m doing."
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the American Cancer Society on 1-800-227-2345 or via their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.
Poppy Bilderbeck
