Dobson slams Figures for ‘cowardice’ over lack of addressing Biden’s capacity for re-election

Democratic congressional hopeful Shomari Figures is declining to comment about whether President Joe Biden has the mental acuity to continue with his re-election campaign despite prodding on Monday by his Republican opponent in the 2nd congressional district race.

Republican Caroleene Dobson, on Monday, accused Figures of being “stony silent” on Biden’s mental competency following a poor debate performance late last month against GOP nominee and former President Donald Trump.

“Every American who watched the disastrous debate performance is concerned that the White House is becoming a remake of ‘Weekend at Bernie’s,’ and it is time for Figures to break his silence and state if he thinks Biden can serve another term,” Dobson said in a statement, adding that Figures lack of commenting about Biden was a “sign of cowardice rather than leadership.”

Figures declined comment when contact by AL.com on Tuesday and referred to his prior statements.

Figures, one week ago, told AL.com he believes the voters in the 2nd congressional district have a “hopeful vision” and will elect him to serve “alongside President Biden” who he said has “created millions of jobs” and has an accomplishment of expanding broadband and rebuilding roads and bridges.

Figures followed up with similar comments to Alabama Daily News, saying the election is “about much more than one debate performance,” and then he praised the president’s record.

Dobson, in her remarks Monday, criticized Biden’s tenure in officer for what she said was “skyrocketing inflation” and “sticker shock” in groceries and fuel prices, and an “open border that threatens our economy and national security.

Dobson claimed that Biden’s mental fitness for office has been called into question since a report was issued by former Special Counsel Robert Hur in February that described the president as “a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”

“Months have passed since growing concerns over Biden’s senility first materialized, but Shomari Figures has turned a blind eye, a deaf ear, and a closed mouth to the fact that our ship of

state has an incompetent captain at the helm,” Dobson said. “If he won’t take a stand on a simple and clear-cut issue like this, how can Second District voters him to make the hard decisions that members of Congress are required to make?”

Figures did criticize GOP presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump’s debate performance, saying last week that it was filled with lies. He also lumped Dobson together with Trump, saying they both lie about their backgrounds and their opponents. Figures said those lies include misstatements about his background and former state Sen. Dick Brewbaker, the Montgomery Republican whom Dobson defeated during the GOP runoff race on April 16.

“This District doesn’t want a representative, or a president, (who) deals in misinformation, hate, lies, and conspiracy theories,” Figures said. “This district overwhelmingly rejected Trump in 2020 and will do it again this year. (Dobson) doesn’t mind that her party’s nominee is a pathological liar who inspired an attack on our democracy.”