In 2022, after expressing concerns that Joe Biden’s age might hinder his ability to seek re-election, I engaged in numerous discussions and even participated in a televised debate with Democrats who disagreed. Both publicly and privately, these Democrats expressed confidence that the advantages of incumbency outweighed any doubts, warning that a primary challenge could fracture the party. More importantly, they pointed to Biden’s legislative achievements as proof of his continued capability.
Their conviction was so strong that it caused me to question my own judgment, leading to a delay in publicly urging Biden to reconsider his candidacy until the following year.
For many, especially Republicans, the Democrats’ steadfast assurances about Biden’s fitness appeared disingenuous. A recent investigative book on Biden’s cognitive decline has characterized this widespread denial as a deliberate concealment.
While some degree of concealment occurred, particularly within Biden’s close inner circle, a larger issue was the party’s collective self-deception. The core problem lies in a groupthink mentality, bureaucratic inertia, and an extreme aversion to political risks that proved counterproductive.
Some Democrats have expressed frustration that this new scrutiny over Biden’s health could divert attention from the controversies surrounding Donald Trump. Nonetheless, confronting these uncomfortable truths now is essential for the party to learn from past mistakes and restore credibility. Recognizing where they went wrong is a necessary step toward regaining public trust.
Politically, it is easier for Democrats to place full responsibility on Biden, his family, and his closest advisors, a group sometimes referred to as a ‘Politburo.’ This faction reportedly restricted access to Biden to hide the extent of his decline, with some aides resigning in protest, unwilling to support another campaign under these conditions.
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