Staff (Politics Writer) – May 19, 2025

In the waning months of Joe Biden’s presidency, a cascade of revelations has laid bare the extent of his cognitive decline, raising profound questions about leadership, transparency, and the stewardship of the nation. From the release of the Hur tapes to insider accounts in new books and media reports, evidence suggests that Biden’s inner circle orchestrated a deliberate effort to shield his deteriorating mental and physical condition from the public, his Cabinet, and even his own staff. These disclosures, coupled with Biden’s recent prostate cancer diagnosis, paint a troubling picture of a presidency marked by denial and concealment, with significant implications for American governance.

The Hur Tapes: A Window into Biden’s Struggles

The release of audio from Special Counsel Robert Hur’s 2023 investigation into Biden’s mishandling of classified documents has provided stark evidence of the former president’s cognitive challenges. The tapes, secured through lawsuits by Judicial Watch and others, capture Biden struggling to recall basic details, including the year his son Beau died of cancer in 2015. Described by Hur as portraying Biden as a “sympathetic elderly man with poor memory,” the recordings reveal a president who frequently lost his train of thought, had difficulty speaking, and grasped for simple facts during a legal interview in October 2023.

These tapes, initially withheld by the White House, which attempted to edit transcripts to downplay Biden’s lapses, have fueled accusations of a cover-up. The Wall Street Journal reported that Biden’s staff went to great lengths to manage his public appearances, adjusting schedules to accommodate his “good days and bad days” and limiting unscripted interactions. The Hur tapes, combined with these reports, confirm what many suspected: Biden’s cognitive capacity was significantly impaired well before his disastrous June 2024 debate performance against Donald Trump, which ultimately led to his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race.

Insider Accounts: Books and Staff Revelations

Several books and media exposés by former White House staff and journalists have detailed the extent to which Biden’s inner circle concealed his decline. Two notable works, Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios’s Alex Thompson, and Uncharted by Chris Whipple, provide intimate accounts of a presidency managed by a small cadre of loyal aides. These handlers, often referred to as the “five people running the country,” included key figures like Chief of Staff Jeff Zients, Counselor Steve Ricchetti, and Senior Adviser Mike Donilon.

Original Sin recounts how Biden’s aides scripted internal meetings, limited access to the president, and briefed Cabinet secretaries through intermediaries to filter information. One unnamed Cabinet secretary expressed unease, questioning whether Biden was truly making decisions or being led by his inner circle. The book cites instances where Biden failed to recognize long-time allies, such as actor George Clooney at a June 2024 fundraiser, and struggled to recall the names of top aides he saw daily. A particularly alarming revelation: aides privately discussed the possibility of Biden needing a wheelchair if reelected, a plan they delayed until after the 2024 election.

Uncharted describes Biden’s team operating in a “fog of delusion and denial,” convinced he could govern despite clear signs of decline. Author Chris Whipple notes that even as late as July 21, 2024, when Biden stepped aside, he was parsing details of a complex prisoner swap, suggesting moments of lucidity. However, these moments were overshadowed by increasing frailty, with aides using black Hoka trainers to stabilize his gait and walking beside him to prevent falls. Whipple argues that the cover-up was not a deliberate conspiracy but a collective failure to confront reality, driven by loyalty and fear of enabling a Trump victory.

Former staffers have also spoken to the press, with some expressing regret. An unidentified senior aide who quit in protest told Tapper and Thompson, “I love Joe Biden… Still, it was a disservice to the country and to the party for his family and advisers to allow him to run again.” The Wall Street Journal’s December 2024 investigation, based on 50 interviews, revealed that Biden’s team buried negative stories, scrapped Cabinet meetings on “bad days,” and kept him at arm’s length from lawmakers, prompting concerns about who was truly governing.

The Cover-Up: Hiding from Cabinet and Public

The extent of the concealment went beyond public optics. Cabinet secretaries, including those overseeing critical portfolios, reported diminished access to Biden, particularly in 2024. One secretary noted briefing aides who then briefed Biden, raising questions about whether information was filtered to shape his decisions. Congressional Democrats, after meetings with Biden, privately compared his demeanor to elderly relatives with dementia, yet faced pushback from aides who insisted he was “fine.”

The White House’s press team was complicit, gaslighting journalists who raised concerns about Biden’s health. Reporters faced harsh rebukes, with one claiming to have been “blackballed” after probing Biden’s acuity. Press aides were instructed to omit negative stories from news clips, and Biden’s team avoided cognitive testing during annual physicals, dismissing calls for it as ageist. Vice President Kamala Harris and others defended Hur’s report as “gratuitous,” while liberal media outlets hesitated to report on Biden’s decline, fearing it would bolster Trump’s campaign.

The June 27, 2024, debate shattered this façade. Biden’s incoherent performance, including nonsensical statements like “We finally beat Medicare,” stunned viewers and prompted CNN’s Dana Bash to note, “He just lost the election.” Post-debate, prominent Democrats, including Barack Obama and Chuck Schumer, urged Biden to step aside, warning of electoral disaster. These events, detailed in Original Sin, underscore the failure to address Biden’s decline earlier, which some argue cost Kamala Harris the presidency.

Political and Historical Implications

The revelations have sparked accusations of a scandal, with conservatives like Rep. Ralph Norman and commentators on X labeling it a deliberate cover-up. Critics argue that the lack of transparency undermined democratic accountability, leaving the nation with a leadership vacuum.

Comparisons to historical precedents, such as President Woodrow Wilson’s incapacitation after a 1919 stroke, highlight the dangers of unelected aides assuming executive power. In Biden’s case, the absence of 25th Amendment discussions, despite calls from figures like House Speaker Mike Johnson, reflects a reluctance to confront the issue head-on. The fallout has fueled distrust in media, with CBS’s Jan Crawford and others lamenting the press’s failure to probe Biden’s fitness, potentially altering the 2024 election’s outcome.

Prostate Cancer Diagnosis and Survival Outlook

On May 16, 2025, Biden’s office announced he had been diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer with bone metastasis, discovered after urinary symptoms led to the detection of a prostate nodule. Characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5), the cancer is advanced and not considered curable, having spread to his bones. At 82, Biden is the oldest former president to receive such a diagnosis, compounding concerns about his health post-presidency.

According to Dr. William Dahut of the American Cancer Society, while the cancer’s spread to the bones precludes a cure, hormonal therapies can mitigate symptoms and slow progression. Many patients respond well initially, and “people can live many years with the diagnosis.” However, Biden’s age and frailty increase risks. The CDC notes that 13 out of 100 men develop prostate cancer, with age being the primary risk factor. Dr. Jay Olshansky, in January 2024, estimated Biden had a 75% chance of surviving a second term based on earlier health data, but this prognosis likely worsens with the cancer’s aggressive nature.

Conclusion

The revelations about Joe Biden’s cognitive decline, substantiated by the Hur tapes and insider accounts, expose a presidency marked by denial and obfuscation. Books like Original Sin and Uncharted reveal a core group of handlers who shielded Biden from scrutiny, limiting his engagement with Cabinet and staff while projecting an image of competence. This cover-up, culminating in Biden’s debate collapse, has left a stain on his legacy, raising questions about who truly held power. Now, facing aggressive prostate cancer at 82, Biden’s survival outlook is uncertain, though treatments offer hope for extended life. As the nation grapples with these disclosures, the Biden saga underscores the need for transparency and accountability at the highest levels of leadership.

---