Joe Biden‘s decline and the Democratic Party’s management of his health issues are under scrutiny in a forthcoming book titled “Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again.” Unfortunately, the book raises alarming questions about Biden’s health as he takes on the political gauntlet toward the 2024 election. This new reality is causing panic among constituency party members and government advisors.
That changed last June, when a shocking episode played out at a star-studded LA fundraiser. It was in Davos, though, that Biden’s physical challenges were most painfully on display. This incident, alongside his declining health over the past year, has triggered discussions about his ability to serve another term. Known as one of the most notable dealmakers in American politics for more than three decades, Biden started his political career at the age of 29. Now he faces unprecedented levels of scrutiny for his cognitive functioning and general fitness for the office.
As Biden recently declared his plan to run for re-election in 2024, fears escalated. His aides were said to have even broached the grim prospect of him requiring a wheelchair if he were to win. People watching him during his debate performance against Donald Trump on June 27, 2024, said his decline was undeniable. Up until the event, Biden was able to maintain his candidacy despite an avalanche of bad news for the front-runner. Ultimately, he did withdraw and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris.
One advisor to Harris, David Plouffe, took to the airwaves to voice his disgust at Biden’s exit. He said it very pithily, “Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential race completely fucked us. This sentiment, though, shows just how frustrated the party is as they struggle with the consequences of Biden’s ways of making decisions.
Biden’s aides and allies launched a coordinated campaign to mitigate how serious his health problems were. This intentional deception didn’t stop at misleading public opinion. It also deceived cabinet secretaries and congressional Democrats about the face value condition of Biden’s health.
“The White House was lying not only to the press but also to members of their own cabinet and Democratic members of Congress,” said Jake Tapper.
Within a month after these revelations surfaced, Biden’s approval rating crashed to a dismal 36%. This shocking statistic is the result of a recent CNN poll. The public is rightfully and justifiably watching his unwise choice to seek reelection. They’re judging him on how his administration is handling pressing issues such as inflation and the war in Gaza.
Congressman Ro Khanna went so far as to publicly argue that Biden should not have run for re-election because the party needs new leadership. Meanwhile, political analyst Larry Sabato suggested that Biden should consider stepping back to allow the next nominee for 2028 to emerge without his overshadowing presence.
On twitter, famed GOP pollster Frank Luntz expressed his bafflement on the whole thing. He argues that Biden should feel comfortable airing his views, particularly given his deep political roots.
“He has every right to speak up as a president, as a vice-president, as a senator for roughly 30 years, as a leading force in American politics. He has every right to be heard,” Luntz said.
Luntz stood up for Biden’s ability to ‘speak his mind’ even if it would likely hurt the Democratic Party.
“If that’s what he chooses to do, that is absolutely his right as an American political leader for half a century,” he added.
The book underscores troubling revelations about how those around Biden attempted to shield him from the reality of his health decline. An anonymous aide remarked on the extent of this effort:
“We attempted to shield him from his own staff so many people didn’t realize the extent of the decline beginning in 2023.”
This overzealous protective strategy poses ethical concerns regarding transparency and accountability in our nation’s leadership during critical times. Though the public narrative has centered around how competent Biden looked on the world stage, the story behind closed doors was allegedly much different.
“What the public saw of his functioning was concerning. What was going on in private was worse,” a source noted.
Ron Klain stated,
“I do not think he should have dropped out at all. We are all in decline. But the president was mentally sharp and capable of serving.”
A huge proportion of party members do not agree. Larry Jacobs criticized Biden’s decision to run again, calling it “a disastrous decision that destroyed an honorable and consequential legacy.”
As the Democratic Party looks ahead to future elections, the handling of Biden’s health issues looms large over their strategies and decisions. The internal divisions stoked by these revelations could have longer term consequences for the party’s unity and electoral prospects.