Biden's Health Check Anesthesia... Harris Serves as First Female Acting President for 85 Minutes

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Yuri] U.S. President Joe Biden underwent his first health checkup since taking office on the 19th (local time). Vice President Kamala Harris assumed presidential powers during the 85 minutes of anesthesia.

According to AP News and others, President Biden received a routine health checkup at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland near Washington D.C. This is the place mainly used when the president and his family receive treatment. President Biden was anesthetized for a colonoscopy. Procedurally, a letter stating that Vice President Harris would assume presidential powers during the anesthesia was sent to the Senate and House Speakers, and a separate letter was sent to resume presidential duties once he woke up from anesthesia.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said, "According to the constitutional procedure, President Biden will transfer power to the Vice President during the short period of anesthesia," adding, "The Vice President will carry out duties from her office in the West Wing of the White House during this time."

Bloomberg News explained that the only previous cases of power being temporarily transferred due to a president's health checkup were twice during former President George W. Bush's administration in 2002 and 2007.

President Biden transferred power at 10:10 a.m., spoke with Vice President Harris at 11:35 a.m., and then resumed presidential duties. Foreign media explained that Vice President Harris made history as the first woman and person of color to act as president. Bloomberg News reported that although in 1919, when then-President Woodrow Wilson suffered a stroke, his wife temporarily took on presidential roles, it was not a situation where power was transferred according to legal procedures like Vice President Harris’s case.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.