The 1600: Hard Questions
The Insider's Track
Good morning,
I told myself, and some of you, that I would steer clear of talking about Joe Biden from now on unless news warranted. Well, the news is warranting.
The former president's office announced in a statement Sunday that he had been diagnosed with an "aggressive" form of prostate cancer that had spread to the bone. An awful development in what is already something of a Shakespearian tragedy, and Biden deserves our prayers and best wishes. Even if you didn't vote for or care for the man, he was our leader for four years. Needless to say, a diagnosis like this for any 82-year-old is bad, and I just hope his people provide him the care and comfort he needs.
That said, if you believe Joe Biden just found out he had cancer I admire your naïveté. My B.S. detector is tuned like a Swiss watch these days having to cover everything coming out of the Trump administration, and let's just say it went off like a siren when this news came down yesterday afternoon. I am not an oncologist, but I know that prostate cancer tends to be one of the slower ones to develop. And it doesn't just spread into the bone all of a sudden. So let's read between the lines and see what's more likely to be closer to the truth:
1. Biden was diagnosed with a less aggressive—but still serious—form of prostate cancer sometime during his presidency, but Jill and others conspired to keep it from the public. This would explain that clip from 2022 going around, when he let slip that he had cancer but everyone just assumed it was one of his gaffes.
2. Biden's White House doctors somehow did not regularly screen him for various cancers, despite his age and having had a son who recently died of brain cancer. Last year, his physician reported the president as a "healthy, active, robust 81-year-old" with no new health concerns who "continues to be fit for duty." So that was either a blatant lie or the result of the kind of staggering incompetence you'd see from the quack doctor on The Simpsons. Sorry, but you don't just "miss" cancer like that in a sitting president.
3. Biden was completely fine as of January 19 but has been diagnosed with a cancer that has since metastasized to his bones in the last four months since leaving office. This one does not pass the smell test either.
It seems highly likely that some version of 1 was at play here. We know, based on the reporting in these new books,the Hur audio, as well as our own eyes, that Biden's inner circle have never been afraid to lie to the public about his decline, both physical and mental. So while the former prez should be shown grace and empathy at this moment, those around him have not earned the same.
What all of this suggests is that it is entirely possible—even probable—that this time last year, in those weeks before the debate, the plan from the White House was that Biden was going to run for reelection, hopefully win, and then serve another full term—as an octogenarian cancer patient. Plan B being that if he passed in office, Kamala Harris would just take over.
If this turns out to be the case, I'm sorry if I'm skeptical that American voters will ever again take seriously Democrats' warnings about Republicans being the anti-democracy party.
The Rundown
In May 1988, Republican President Ronald Reagan spoke from the Oval Office in an address not targeted at the American people, but the citizens of Western Europe. The president was planning a trip to meet with Soviet Union General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev and wanted to make his commitment to Europe clear.
Thirty years later, in July 2018, while sitting for an interview at his Turnberry golf resort in Scotland, Republican President Donald Trump was asked to name America's top global foe. "Well, I think we have a lot of foes... I think the European Union is a foe, what they do to us in trade," he said. The comments reflected a decaying relationship between Europe and the GOP that has largely worsened in the years since. Read the full story.
Also happening:
Biden speaks out: Former President Joe Biden responded to well-wishers early Monday following the announcement that he had been diagnosed with an "aggressive form" of prostate cancer with metastasis to the bone. "Cancer touches us all. Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places. Thank you for lifting us up with love and support," Biden wrote in part. Read more.
Former President Joe Biden responded to well-wishers early Monday following the announcement that he had been diagnosed with an "aggressive form" of prostate cancer with metastasis to the bone. "Cancer touches us all. Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places. Thank you for lifting us up with love and support," Biden wrote in part. Read more. Exclusive: Rep. Al Green of Texas, a Democrat, has spoken with Newsweek about why he introduced articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump this week, saying he felt the need to act now before "tanks are rolling down the street," with plans to introduce further articles at a later date. Read the story.
This is a preview of The 1600—Tap here to get this newsletter delivered straight to your inbox.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business of Fashion
23 minutes ago
- Business of Fashion
Dear Fashion CEOs, Stop Undermining Climate Action
We have reached a pivotal moment in the fashion industry's understanding of what true climate leadership means. Leadership was once defined by voluntary corporate commitments — a new sustainability pledge or climate goal. But these voluntary efforts have done little to move the needle, rarely graduating beyond pilot programmes, and often amounting to little more than greenwashed marketing. Short-term self-interest and a market that rewards quarterly growth have driven many players to underinvest or stall action. The result is collective stagnation. For the last few years, the belief among climate advocates and progressive executives has been that regulators would step into this void and drive momentum in the movement. Now that is on shakier ground. In the US, the Trump administration is dismantling environmental programmes, even as individual states forge ahead with their own regulations. In the EU, which has led the way on green legislation, concerns about competitiveness are threatening to erode policies that have already been formed. In a period of economic and political uncertainty, businesses are stepping back, greenhushing and deprioritising climate programmes. It is clear change won't come without political support. Real climate leadership from brands means recognising this, speaking out and calling for regulatory change. Instead, many trade groups — including those that represent brands with publicly progressive climate policies — are actively lobbying to undermine tougher environmental regulations, leaning into the political narrative that stiffer oversight is bad for business. Brands that are already doing the work know this is not true. Smart regulation can be a way to level a playing field that is currently stacked against companies that operate more responsibly, while also incentivising and accelerating change. But it won't happen if companies and their lobbyists don't step up to loudly and boldly declare their support for the regulatory change that will enable more meaningful action. As the industry convenes this week at the Global Fashion Agenda's annual sustainability summit in Copenhagen, it's an opportunity for leaders to move beyond the climate blah blah and chart a path forward. The issue is increasingly urgent. In the last six months alone, we've witnessed climate impacts that make inadequate action indefensible: historic wildfires in California, temperatures reaching 48°C in India and Pakistan, and a glacier collapse wiping out a Swiss village. The stakes are not theoretical. I saw the corporate doublespeak firsthand while testifying in Sacramento, California in support of the Fashion Act, a bill that aims to address the climate and chemical footprint of the industry. Alongside me was a persuasive college student; in opposition were business lobbies the California Chamber of Commerce, the California Retailers Association and the American Apparel and Footwear Association. Their argument? That requiring companies to set and meet absolute emission reduction targets would mean increased costs for consumers, even though companies like Gap, VF, and Nike have already made voluntary commitments to such targets. We brought data from McKinsey showing that industry-wide decarbonisation, once co-ordinated, is not only feasible but affordable. The Committee listened, the bill progressed, though it must still pass through several other stages of approval by January in order to make it into law. In New York, lawmakers have been working on a similar legislative proposal since 2022. This is why brands who say they favour a greener industry need to step up. The Fashion Act is gaining traction in California. But to move it across the finish line and into law, we need industry voices to be present in the room and use their platforms to publicly support it. That's why New Standard Institute, the industry think tank I run, has launched an advocacy arm — to enable us to meet anti-regulation lobbying with equal force. This is a model not just for the Fashion Act, but for future legislation that sets smart incentives — both sticks and carrots — aligned with the sustainability commitments many brands already claim. To the companies that have signed on to support the bill, thank you. In the months ahead, we invite more of you to move beyond pledges and pilot programs. We also call on current supporters to step up their engagement: be public, be vocal, and advocate clearly for the Fashion Act. Join us in supporting infrastructure that can match lobbying power with lobbying power. Show legislators that industry — the forward-looking, innovation-driven side of it — is ready to lead. Navigating the turbulence of tariffs and shifting global standards is a challenge. But leadership isn't about waiting for clarity. It's about showing up in the storm. Let's lead. Maxine Bédat is the founder and director of fashion think tank New Standard Institute. She has helped spearhead bills focused on regulating fashion's environmental impact in California and New York. The views expressed in Op-Ed pieces are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Business of Fashion. How to submit an Op-Ed: The Business of Fashion accepts opinion articles on a wide range of topics. The suggested length is 700-1000 words, but submissions of any length within reason will be considered. All submissions must be original and exclusive to BoF. Submissions may be sent to opinion@ Please include 'Op-Ed' in the subject line and be sure to substantiate all assertions. Given the volume of submissions we receive, we regret that we are unable to respond in the event that an article is not selected for publication.
Epoch Times
an hour ago
- Epoch Times
Trump Administration Removes Hospital Guidance on Emergency Abortions
The Trump administration announced that it was ending Biden-era guidance that directed hospitals to provide emergency abortions for women across the country. Issued in 2022, the guidance was an effort to preserve abortion access nationwide for women in extreme cases in the wake of the Supreme Court issuing the Dobbs Decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade and returned rulemaking on abortion back to the state level.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Seth Meyers mocks media frenzy over Biden 'cover-up,' says his age was 'worst-kept secret'
NBC "Late Night" host Seth Meyers mocked the idea of former President Joe Biden's declining health being a major political scandal, claiming it "was the worst cover-up in American history." Questions about Biden's health have resurfaced after the release of "Original Sin," a new book by CNN anchor Jake Tapper and Axios journalist Alex Thompson, which alleges that Biden's inner circle concealed the president's flailing health and cognitive decline for years, despite telling the public that he was mentally sharp and fit for office. Meyers ripped the media for paying attention to the Biden "cover-up" when, according to him, "The Trump Administration and Republicans in Congress are rapidly dismantling American civil society and turning the country into a reclusive oligarchy." "But I don't want to talk about any of that and neither does the media. We both want to talk about something way more important. Joe Biden is, and has been, for a while, very old," he said sarcastically. Credibility Crisis: Biden's Late-night Allies Go Quiet After Damning Cognitive Decline Revelations After playing a montage of figures calling the cover-up a media scandal, Meyers joked, "They're right. This is the biggest scandal in history, bigger than Watergate, bigger than Iran-Contra, bigger than the Teapot Dome Scandal." Read On The Fox News App The late-night host argued that the president's advanced age wasn't a secret and the majority of Americans were against him running for re-election in the 2024 campaign, believing him to be too old to serve again. "Now, you might be thinking to yourself, 'Wait, didn't everybody already know that Joe Biden was old?'" Meyers asked. "'Didn't poll after poll show that the vast majority of Americans, including a clear majority of Democrats, thought he was too old to run for reelection, and wanted someone else? Didn't he biff it so bad in the debate that his own party undertook an unprecedented effort to successfully force him out of the race?'" "'Weren't Democrats ultimately punished for Biden's disastrous choice to run again when they got their asses kicked in the November election?'" he continued. "'Didn't Seth play that clip of Biden falling up the stairs, like, 1,000 times?'" Jen Psaki Insists She 'Never Saw' Diminished Biden While Working As Press Secretary "This was on TV, everyone saw it," he said of Biden stumbling while walking up the stairs of Air Force One in 2021. "If this was a cover-up, if this was the worst [bleep] cover-up in American history. It was the worst-kept secret since Mika and Joe," he joked, referring to the relationship of "Morning Joe" co-hosts Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough who wed in 2018 after years of co-hosting the morning MSNBC show. "This was only like Watergate if the break-in had been live-streamed on Twitch," Meyers added. After poking fun at reports that Biden got lost in his closet in the White House, Meyers turned serious. "It was just a disastrous political choice. And the people who deserve criticism for that are Biden, the aides who convinced him and themselves that he should ignore reality and run again," he concluded. Credibility Crisis: White House Reporters Speak Out On Whether Biden's Mental Decline Was Deliberately Hidden Meyer's Monday night show appears to be the first time he referenced the Biden cover-up revelations from Tapper's book, according to Grabien transcripts. Meyer and fellow liberal late-night hosts Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel have all welcomed Biden for friendly interviews. Most recently, Biden was on "Late Night with Seth Meyers" in February 2024, just days after the release of Special Counsel Robert Hur's report. Hur was heavily attacked by the media at the time for calling Biden a "sympathetic, well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory" in his report. During his February 2024 interview of Biden, Meyers gently broached the subject of Biden's age before quickly moving on to other topics. Click Here For The Latest Media And Culture News After Hur's report was released a few days later, Meyers called the special counsel's comments a "gratuitous hypothetical" and stressed that Hur was a "Republican attorney" who "was originally appointed by Trump." "If that kind of language was appropriate in a legal finding, then prosecutors could have done the same thing to Trump," Meyers said before repeatedly drawing attention to President Donald Trump's mental article source: Seth Meyers mocks media frenzy over Biden 'cover-up,' says his age was 'worst-kept secret'
