We all noticed it. They angrily denied it, with bizarre allegations of "cheap fakes," and other forms of warped spin. They told us that what we saw wasn't real, and much of the media either treaded very lightly, ignored the story, or actively aided the propaganda. Those journalists who did make an effort to explore obvious truths about the president's condition were excoriated and shamed by their tribe on social media. And then, over the span of about 20 minutes on a debate stage in late June, the Big Lie died a very painful, very public, totally undeniable death. Nearly all of the cover-up crowd pivoted in real time, from 'how dare you?' to 'the jig is up, this is a disaster.' The dump Biden plot began in earnest, and within weeks, an entire primary election had been nullified. For democracy.
We have now entered the post-election books era, in which scoops that previously could not be shared publicly are now being stuffed into bound manuscripts that can be yours for approximately $30. The emerging details point to a reality that is simultaneously entirely unsurprising and deeply scandalous. Tom Bevan of RealClearPolitics frames it this way:
It’s the biggest political and media scandal in the history of the country. https://t.co/cK7bD3rI3h
— Tom Bevan (@TomBevanRCP) March 31, 2025
Party and administration officials repeatedly downplayed these worries, insisting Biden was fully capable of winning and serving another four-year term in office. Despite Biden’s occasional public stumbles, they sought to assure the public that behind closed doors, Biden remained sharp and fully in command. But behind closed doors, officials expressed their own anxieties about Biden’s abilities well before he took to the stage with then-candidate Donald Trump last June...“Publicly, Democrats scoffed at Republican claims that Biden wasn’t up to the job,” the authors wrote. “But privately, some of them worried all along that they were putting too much stock in an old man who, at best, had long since lost his fastball.” ... Biden’s closest aides remained behind the president’s plan to run for reelection, Parnes and Allen reported. White House counselor Steve Ricchetti and Mike Donilon, an operative who had worked on Biden’s messaging for decades, were both “one hundred percent in,” according to one Biden ally. First lady Jill Biden was “a thousand percent” behind it.
More details, relayed by The Hill:
Swalwell had not been invited to the White House often, like most members of Congress, but when Biden and Swalwell came face to face, Biden didn’t immediately recognize the congressman, according to the book. Swalwell needed to note personal details to remind Biden of who he is. At the G7 summit in Italy preceding the debate, Biden was tired when he arrived and in most of the sessions, a Biden aide told Parnes and Allen. To cover up the physical signs of Biden’s aging, a makeup artist met with him in the morning when he traveled. The artist also covered up aging signs before Zoom calls with his aides. Biden consistently made these makeup appointments, but he sometimes canceled the briefings that were to follow. After the debate with Trump, Biden needed fluorescent tape to guide him through a fundraiser at New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy’s (D) house and needed a teleprompter to speak to just a small group of people. But he still frequently trailed off during his remarks.
He was not capable of running anything of importance, let alone the country. And he wasn't really running the country, certainly not fully. He didn't recognize a prominent Congressman, against whom he'd run for president. He had a makeup artist airbrush away physical signs of aging before events, then would sometimes no-show the events anyway. He needed bright tape to guide him around living rooms, and a telepropter to guide him through brief and informal remarks, which he'd botch anyway. They all saw this. They all knew this. And their reaction was, four more years. A scandal and a disgrace. Finally, remember Biden's withdrawal announcement-by-tweet after the RNC, followed a short time later by a follow-up Harris endorsement? Per this new book, frantic behind-the-scenes lobbying led to that "decision," whether or not Biden genuinely made it himself:
Why wasn’t it reported at the time that Joe Biden had Kamala Harris beg for his endorsement? https://t.co/V17MCmc4Ga
— James Lynch (@jameslynch32) April 1, 2025
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