- Trump says Biden was ‘high as a kite’ during an energetic speech in March
- But most voters do not think the president takes performance-enhancing drugs
- READ MORE: Trump claims ‘low-IQ’ Joe can win the debate by staying upright
Voters by a huge margin want Joe Biden and Donald Trump tested for drugs at the upcoming presidential debates, our first-of-its-kind poll shows.
Fully 70 percent of people want the men screened for pharmaceuticals when they face off on June 27 and then again on September 10, a DailyMail.com/TIPP survey reveals.
Another 18 percent of people said drug tests were not needed, and 12 percent said they were not sure.
Our poll of 1,910 respondents comes after Trump has accused his Democratic opponent of being old and feeble and a user of performance-enhancing drugs.
Trump says Biden should be tested for drugs before their debate at CNNÂ headquarters in Atlanta later this month.
The Republican candidate says, without evidence, that Biden was ‘all jacked up’ and ‘high as a kite’ when he delivered the State of the Union address in March.
Trump’s allegation plays into fears that the 81-year-old president lacks vigor and mental clarity due to his age.
The oldest president in US history is derided as a ‘gaffe machine’ who often jumbles his words and has tripped and fallen at public events.
Earlier this year, Special Counsel Robert Hur released a damning report billing him as a ‘well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.’
Biden’s unusually energetic State of the Union speech was hailed by White House insiders as evidence that the president had enough energy to go the distance for another four years.
But critics suggested the president popped an Adderall or some other stimulant to pep him up for the 1hr 7min showpiece.
However, White House medical records show Biden only takes more common medicines for allergies, heartburn and for stopping blood clots.
While Biden’s energy levels are scrutinized, Trump, 77, has also faced questions about being too old for another stint in the Oval Office.
Critics point to his rambling and at times incoherent campaign speeches and television appearances.
Against this backdrop, our nationwide survey shows that voters feel a drug test before the debate would be a worthwhile intervention.
Men and women, and people from all age groups, ethnic backgrounds and US regions, supported drugs tests by wide margins.
There was only a small partisan difference — while 77 percent of Republican voters supported drugs tests, a comparable 64 percent of Democrats felt the same way.
Although Trump put a spotlight on his opponent being ‘high as a kite,’ few voters believe Biden takes performance-enhancing drugs.
Just 30 percent of respondents said they thought the president uses drugs to help him in his demanding job.
Fully 40 percent said he does not; another 30 percent said they were not sure.
The survey has a +/-2.4 percent error margin. It was carried out in late May by TIPP, which is noted for the accuracy of its polls.
Performance-enhancing drugs usually refer to steroids and stimulants taken by athletes to become stronger and faster.
But students cramming for exams and others have turned to amphetamines, nootropics and other drugs to improve test scores.
Others still take small doses of magic mushrooms or cannabis to raise their game in workplaces across the US.
Our survey did not specify whether the candidates should be tested for legal or illegal drugs.
This month’s debate in Georgia, a swing state, is seen as a pivotal moment in a tight race between two candidates who have suffered from relatively low approval scores.
Biden’s performance will be watched for signs of declining mental acuity, while Trump is prone to incendiary rhetoric that excites some voters but alienates many others.
The debate will air two weeks before Trump is sentenced for his New York conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up hush money payments to a porn star.
It will be moderated by CNN’s chief political correspondent Dana Bash and lead Washington anchor Jake Tapper. There will be no live audience.
Republished with permission from TIPP Insights