A bombshell report exposes extensive efforts by White House officials to manage President Joe Biden's public appearances and interactions throughout his presidency.
According to Daily Mail, the White House orchestrated an elaborate years-long cover-up to hide Biden's diminishing mental condition, including hiring a voice coach and implementing various strategies to limit his public exposure.
The Wall Street Journal investigation revealed that Biden's team employed numerous tactics to shield his decline from public view. These included canceling important meetings on his "bad days," limiting interactions with Cabinet members, and putting other officials in roles typically occupied by the president.
Biden's handlers actively worked to minimize situations that could expose his cognitive difficulties. The administration hired Hollywood studio mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg to find a voice coach when Biden's speaking abilities began to waver. Staff members were instructed to exclude negative stories about the president when compiling news clips.
A small group of close advisors, including Bruce Reed, Steve Ricchetti, and Mike Donilon, maintained strict control over Biden's activities and interactions. This "triumvirate," dubbed the "Biden whisperers," wielded significant influence over presidential decisions and access.
The protective measures extended to limiting Biden's contact with his own Cabinet members. Democratic Congressman Adam Smith's attempts to discuss concerns about the Afghanistan withdrawal in 2021 were repeatedly blocked, resulting in just one personal call during Biden's entire four-year term.
Special Counsel Robert Hur's report provided concrete evidence of Biden's declining mental state. The investigation into classified documents revealed a president struggling with memory and cognitive function.
As shared by a White House source, Biden could not repeat the back lines that were fed to him by staff during the preparation for his interview with Hur. The special counsel ultimately decided against charging Biden for keeping classified documents, noting that he would appear to a jury as a "sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory."
The administration's efforts to maintain control included providing Biden with detailed instruction cards for basic activities like walking, sitting, and looking in specific directions. These measures became increasingly necessary as his condition deteriorated.
The cover-up's exposure had significant political consequences for Biden's presidency. His debate performance against Donald Trump in June 2024 proved particularly damaging, as his declining abilities became impossible to conceal during the televised event.
The public revelation of Biden's condition led to mounting pressure from both the public and senior Democrats for him to end his reelection campaign. By July, Biden withdrew from the race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, who ultimately lost to Donald Trump in the November election.
White House spokesperson Andrew Bates attempted to defend Biden's record, emphasizing his policy achievements rather than addressing the mental decline allegations. However, the administration's elaborate efforts to conceal the president's condition have raised serious questions about transparency and governance.
The Wall Street Journal's investigation exposed an extensive White House operation to conceal President Joe Biden's declining mental condition throughout his presidency, employing strategies ranging from hiring a voice coach to carefully controlling his public appearances and interactions. The cover-up ultimately unraveled during Biden's debate with Donald Trump in June 2024, leading to his withdrawal from the presidential race and endorsement of Kamala Harris, who later lost to Trump in the November election.
