The rise of the Washington Politburo

Written By W.F. Hillman

On Washington Week with The Atlantic (May 23, 2025), Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson discussed their book, Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again, with Jeffrey Goldberg. They detailed a "protective politburo" of aides and family members who concealed Joe Biden’s cognitive and physical decline from the public, cabinet, and Congress, particularly in 2023-2024, to sustain his 2024 reelection bid.

Key Points

  • The Politburo: A tight circle including Mike Donilon, Steve Ricchetti, Bruce Reed, Ron Klain, Jill Biden, Hunter Biden, Anthony Bernal, and Annie Tomasini controlled Biden’s time and access. They limited interactions to hide his “non-functioning” moments, using tools like teleprompters and scripted meetings.

  • Cover-Up Tactics: By 2023, Biden’s presidency saw shorter speeches, smaller vocabularies, and restricted access. Cabinet members were briefed by aides rather than Biden himself, and some lawmakers didn’t see him for a year, shocked by his decline when they did.

  • The Debate Moment: The June 2024 debate exposed Biden’s decline, with Tapper recalling his shock at Biden’s inability to follow thoughts, exemplified by his “we finally beat Medicare” gaffe. This wasn’t new but was hidden from the public.

  • Motive and Justification: The politburo believed Biden was the only one who could defeat Trump, seen as an existential threat, justifying their secrecy. Some aides were in denial, others deliberately deceptive.

  • Media and Accountability: While some reporters raised concerns, they faced pushback. The book, based on 200+ sources, aims to reveal the truth, contrasting with superficial media coverage of Biden’s age.

Implications

The interview suggests Biden’s presidency operated under a veil of secrecy, with aides potentially framing or making decisions, raising questions about his agency and the democratic process. The cover-up contributed to Biden’s disastrous reelection bid, paving the way for Trump’s 2024 victory.

Source

This summary is based on the Washington Week with The Atlantic interview aired on May 23, 2025, available at: https://www.pbs.org/weta/washingtonweek/video/2025/05/protective-politburo-hid-bidens-decline-tapper-and-thompson-say

W.F. Hillman
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