WASHINGTON ‒ Former President Bill Clinton insisted in an interview that former PresidentJoe Bidenwas in good shape despite a new book thatchronicled Biden's cognitive and physical declineanddescribed his inner circlelimiting work hours and the access of aides. The book "Original Sin," written by CNN's Jake Tapper and Axios' Alex Thompson, includesinformation from White Houseaides and officials who said he "dropped off considerably," had heavily scripted Cabinet meetings and forgot basic facts. "I thought he was a good president. The only concern I thought he had to deal with was, 'Could anybody do that job until they were 86?' And we've had several long talks. I had never seen him and walked away thinking he can't do this anymore. He was always on top of his briefs," Bill Clinton said in an interview on "CBS Sunday Morning" when asked about the reporting in the book. Clinton added, "I saw President Biden not very long ago, and I thought he was in good shape, but the book didn't register with me cause I never saw him that way." Biden took aim at the book and its authors, jokinglytelling reporterson May 30, "You can see that I'm mentally incompetent, I can't walk ‒ and I can beat the hell out of both of them." Biden was recently diagnosed withStage 4 prostate cancer, and he said he had begun treatment. Clinton said he didn't want to read the book because Biden is not president anymore. "I think he did a good job," Clinton said of Biden. "And I think we are facing challenges today without precedent in our history. And some people are trying to use this as a way to blame him for the fact that Trump was reelected." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Clinton defends Biden on health reports: 'I never saw him that way'
