Imagine getting old and abused by your family in the public all while working to destroying the Country. And by the grace of God, and his divine intervention the mission failed. 🤔
This story is adapted from the forthcoming book "Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again," by CNN's Jake Tapper and Axios' Alex Thompson.
Joe Biden's physical deterioration was so severe in 2023 and 2024 that advisers privately discussed the possibility he'd need to use a wheelchair if he won re-election, CNN's Jake Tapper and Axios' Alex Thompson write in their new book, "Original Sin," out a week from today.
Why it matters: The discussions reflected the extent of the president's declining health — particularly the significant degeneration of his spine — and his aides' alarm over it as Biden sought a second term at age 81. The conversations also reveal the White House's determination to conceal the reality of Biden's condition, at the risk of his own health, while he faced a tough re-election bid against Donald Trump.
The book is based on interviews with more than 200 people, mostly Democratic insiders, with knowledge of the events that unfolded during the final two years of Biden's presidency. Almost all of the interviews took place after the 2024 election. ⚡ "Biden's physical deterioration — most apparent in his halting walk — had become so severe that there were internal discussions about putting the president in a wheelchair, but they couldn't do so until after the election," the authors write.
Biden aides believed it was politically untenable to have Biden use a wheelchair amid his re-election campaign. "Given Biden's age, [his physician Kevin O'Connor] also privately said that if he had another bad fall, a wheelchair might be necessary for what could be a difficult recovery," the authors report. Biden's team had increasing fears of a fall after the president tripped over a sandbag at the Air Force Academy in June 2023. Aides began taking many more precautions to avoid a repeat before the November 2024 election.
They tried to figure out shorter walking paths, began insisting on handrails for steps up to the stage at his appearances, had him wear sneakers more often, changed his visual briefings before events to ensure he knew every step he was expected to take, and guided him more carefully through the movements.
They didn’t “shield” him…. they lied to the country to keep their grip on power. Now that the damage is done, they want a participation trophy for whispering it anonymously to Politico. Pathetic. Every single last one of these aides and media figures would have praised a week-old crockpot of beef stroganoff as “the best POTUS ever” if it was the Democrat nominee.💩💩💩
