Former President Joe Biden's administration has come under the spotlight with the release of a provocative new book detailing his presidency's internal dynamics. Titled "Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again," the book is authored by journalists Alex Thompson of Axios and CNN's Jake Tapper. The publication presents a contentious narrative suggesting that a small, unelected group effectively steered the White House during Biden's term.
The health of President Biden also entered public discourse last week as he received a diagnosis of advanced prostate cancer that had metastasized to his bones, a serious condition that typically signals a terminal phase. In an unexpected show of bipartisan compassion, former President Donald Trump issued supportive comments.
Thompson and Tapper's book, however, shifts focus back to political intrigue, alleging that individuals such as former White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain and members of Biden's family, including Jill Biden and Hunter Biden, were part of the so-called "Politburo" that managed presidential affairs. This term, historically associated with communist states' policy-making bodies, implies a concentration of power away from elected officials.
During an interview with PBS, Thompson suggested that this inner circle's influence was an open secret within the administration. The New York Post quotes him explaining the nomenclature used in the book, saying, "In terms of who was running the White House, it’s a small group of people that have been around. Some people within the administration called them the Politburo."
The authors assert that these figures, who had not received any electoral mandate, were responsible for significant decisions and daily operations. This situation raises substantial questions about the principles of democratic representation and constitutional governance. Tapper noted that President Biden was not entirely sidelined, stating, "Joe Biden himself also is part of this. Joe Biden is not like — it’s not ‘Weekend at Bernie’s,' right? He has some purchase here. He has some agency. And he’s aware of some of what’s going on."
The book goes on to describe how these aides might have justified their actions, considering Trump an "existential threat" to democracy. This belief seemingly allowed them to rationalize measures that might otherwise be deemed undemocratic. The Western Journal cites Tapper revealing, "He’s aware of the fact that they are keeping the cabinet away from him, they are keeping some White House staffers away from him."
A particularly damning allegation involves an anonymous aide's strategy for a potential second term for Biden, suggesting that he could serve merely as a figurehead. The aide was quoted as saying Biden "just had to win, and then he could disappear for four years," only providing "proof of life every once in a while."
Thompson expanded on these revelations in a Sunday interview with Fox News host Shannon Bream, discussing the implications of such an approach to governance. The notion that a sitting president might be a mere front for behind-the-scenes actors, never subjected to the scrutiny of an election or Senate confirmation, challenges the very concept of democratic accountability.
While the authors of "Original Sin" paint a picture of a presidency shadowed by manipulation and concealment, it is important to approach these claims with a critical eye. The full impact of these allegations on the public's perception of the Biden administration and the broader political landscape remains to be seen.
