an intravenous drip needle is customarily inserted when administering drugs (such as amphetamines)...
So Joe is getting doped up before appearances?
Dopey Joe now has more than 1 meaning.
I've wondered about that for a couple of months. He seems to have about a 20 to 30 minute limit in his appearances. Then he gets a glassy eyed look and they whisk him off the stage.
Even if he is doping he still can't answer real questions. The media is hiding his senility from the public.