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This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.
Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.

Was Joe Biden the first presidential candidate known to have a disability during his campaign?

By Christopher Hutton
NO

In the last century at least two U.S. presidents suffered some form of disability. Their challenges were known to the public during their campaigns, although President-elect Joe Biden, who has a stutter, has been relatively more open and direct about his own challenges.

Franklin D. Roosevelt, diagnosed with polio at age 39, was crippled by the disease. Though he preferred to use a cane rather than a wheelchair in public, his disability was no secret.

John F. Kennedy endured chronic back pain, undergoing multiple hospitalizations and surgeries. Lyndon Johnson, still seeking the nomination for himself before becoming JFK's running mate, divulged his opponent's medical history just before the 1960 Democratic convention. During Kennedy's earlier run for Congress, a campaign worker described him as "crippled"; he collapsed during a parade. In the Senate, he needed crutches.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Between 2020 and 2022, under close editorial supervision, Gigafact contracted a group of freelance writers and editors to test the concepts for fact briefs and provide inputs to our software development process. We call this effort Gigafact Foundry. Over the course of these two years, Gigafact Foundry writers published over 1500 fact briefs in response to claims they found online. Their important work forms the basis of Gigafact formats and editorial guidelines, and is available to the public on Gigafact.org. Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of relevant information to be found, not all fact briefs produced by Gigafact Foundry reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date and need to be looked at with fresh eyes, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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