Democratic party insiders and White House officials grappled with President Joe Biden's aging signs before his campaign's unexpected end.
According to The Hill, a new book titled "Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House" unveils extensive measures taken by officials to conceal Biden's age-related challenges and their contingency planning for potential scenarios during his reelection campaign.
The revelations come from authors Amie Parnes and Jonathan Allen, who detail previously undisclosed information about the concerns surrounding Biden's cognitive abilities. Their reporting exposes a stark contrast between public assurances and private anxieties among Democratic Party officials regarding Biden's capacity to serve another term.
Democratic officials maintained a united front in public, dismissing Republican criticisms about Biden's fitness for office. However, internal discussions painted a different picture. Party leaders privately acknowledged their reservations about Biden's declining abilities, particularly following his challenging debate performance against Donald Trump in June 2024.
Representative Eric Swalwell's interaction with Biden at the White House congressional picnic in June 2023 raised early red flags. The California congressman had to remind Biden of personal details during their conversation when the president failed to recognize him immediately.
A party official involved in the confidential discussions shared their perspective:
Publicly, Democrats scoffed at Republican claims that Biden wasn't up to the job. But privately, some of them worried all along that they were putting too much stock in an old man who, at best, had long since lost his fastball.
White House staff implemented various strategies to maintain Biden's public image. A dedicated makeup artist was assigned to cover signs of aging before public appearances and even Zoom calls, though Biden occasionally skipped subsequent briefings.
At the G7 summit in Italy, Biden's fatigue was evident throughout most sessions, according to a Biden aide. Following the debate with Trump, organizers had to use fluorescent tape to guide the president through a fundraiser at New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy's residence.
The campaign team's efforts extended to providing teleprompter support for small group addresses, though Biden still struggled with staying on message during his remarks.
White House officials developed backup strategies as early as 2023. An aide to Vice President Kamala Harris maintained a spreadsheet of non-Trump-appointed federal judges, preparing for a potential emergency swearing-in scenario.
A friend of both Biden and former President Obama criticized the decision to pursue reelection, stating:
It shows what we had to do to prepare with the unique circumstances we had, which was an eighty-plus-year-old president who was running.
Despite mounting concerns, Biden's inner circle, including White House counselor Steve Ricchetti and longtime operative Mike Donilon, remained steadfast in their support. First Lady Jill Biden was particularly enthusiastic, described as being "a thousand percent" behind the reelection effort.
President Biden's reelection campaign, launched in April 2023, concluded in July 2024 following a problematic debate performance against Donald Trump. The decision came after months of private concerns among Democratic Party officials about his age and cognitive abilities, despite public assertions of his competence. The situation prompted extensive preparation for various scenarios, including contingency plans for succession and careful management of his public appearances, ultimately leading to the end of his presidential bid.
