In a compelling excerpt from the forthcoming book Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again, aides to former President Joe Biden reportedly voiced serious concerns about his physical health, fearing he might need a wheelchair if re-elected.
As Biden actively campaigned against Donald Trump for the 2024 election, his closest advisors were reportedly strategizing for this eventuality, deciding to keep the discussions under wraps until after the election to avoid alarming voters.
The authors of the book, CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios’s Alex Thompson, revealed that Biden’s physical condition had noticeably deteriorated, leading to internal discussions about the necessity of using a wheelchair.
The aides believed that having Biden appear in a wheelchair would be “politically untenable,” fearing it could significantly impact public perception and voter confidence.
To mitigate these concerns, the team made various modifications to his campaign events, including stage adjustments, the installation of handrails, and the planning of shorter walking routes.
These changes were carefully choreographed to prevent any public mishaps, especially following an incident where Biden tripped over a sandbag in 2023, which drew significant media attention.
Dr. Kevin O’Connor, Biden’s White House physician, reportedly clashed with the political team, advocating for more downtime for the president.
O’Connor expressed concerns that another fall could make wheelchair use inevitable. In a humorous yet pointed remark, he indicated that aides were pushing Biden too hard, suggesting they were inadvertently creating a dangerous situation for his health.
Throughout 2024, Biden’s staff attributed his unsteady gait to a 2020 foot fracture, but O’Connor clarified that the injury had fully healed. Instead, he pointed to “significant spinal arthritis” as the underlying cause of Biden’s mobility issues, highlighting the complexities of managing the health of an aging leader in the public eye.
Ultimately, Biden withdrew from the race following a difficult debate against Trump, where he struggled to maintain his composure and clarity.
He subsequently endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, signaling a shift in focus for the Democratic Party.
A spokesperson for Biden dismissed the book’s claims as exaggerated, asserting that the former president had been open about his health changes and continued to be an effective leader.
This narrative sheds light on the internal struggles faced by Biden’s team and raises broader questions about the role of age and health in politics as well as the deceptive narrative promoted by the media.
The revelations in Original Sin are poised to spark significant conversations about the future of Democratic leadership and the challenges posed by an aging electorate.
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