White House fights back against age comments in Biden probe

The White House launched a fierce pushback Friday against a brutal special counsel report portraying Joe Biden as elderly and forgetful, describing it as a political hit-job on the president in an election year.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris called the stinging report "politically motivated" while White House spokesman Ian Sams branded it "gratuitous and inappropriate" as they sought to call its impartiality into question.

Biden refused to answer questions on the report as he hosted German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in the Oval Office for talks on Ukraine Friday, but the night before he responded furiously to the report's findings.

The investigation cleared the 81-year-old Democrat of illegally retaining classified documents in his home and garage — but damningly branded him as a "well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory."

Biden's supporters and aides rushed to defend him on Friday on an issue he's long been vulnerable on as he bids for reelection in November, most likely against Republican Donald Trump.

"The way that the president's demeanor in that report was characterized could not be more wrong on the facts and (was) clearly politically motivated," Harris said when asked about the report.

In a rambling address Friday to a National Rifle Association event, the 77-year-old Trump said of Biden's mental state: "I don't think he knows he's alive."

 'Gratuitous and inappropriate' 

With questions swirling about Biden's mental acuity, the spotlight is also on Harris as she would be first in line to succeed as president should he resign or be incapacitated.

Both Biden and Harris are suffering from low approval ratings as they campaign for another four years in the White House.