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The Irish Sun
27-05-2025
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
Liberal anchor Jake Tapper says cover-up of Biden's cognitive decline may be ‘worse than Watergate' after bombshell book
THE cover-up of Joe Biden's ailing health could be a bigger scandal that Watergate, the author of a bombshell new book on the former president's cognitive decline has claimed. CNN host Jake Tapper co-wrote Original Sin, an 3 The CNN anchor said the cover-up of Biden's health 'maybe even worse than Watergate in some ways' 3 Former United States President Joe Biden speaks at the Advocates, Counselors, and Representatives for the Disabled (ACRD) conference on April 15, 2025 Credit: Splash 3 The stunning claim came on an interview with Piers Morgan Biden's physical and mental decline were a constant source of speculation throughout his time as president, which culminated in him dropping out of the 2024 election after a disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump. But Tapper made a jaw-dropping remark when challenged on his book's conclusion in an interview with Piers Morgan on Monday. Quoting from the book, Morgan said: "Joe Biden is not Richard Nixon, and the hiding and cover-up of his deterioration is not Watergate." He added: "I am not entirely sure I agree, Jake, with that conclusion." But in a stunning moment, the CNN anchor said the cover-up of Biden's health "maybe even worse than Watergate in some ways". "Because Richard Nixon was in control of his faculties when he was not drinking," he clarified. He said that while he sees the Biden cover-up as an "entirely separate scandal" from Watergate, he still considers it a "a scandal" nonetheless. Tapper added the book was not "mean to exonerate" Biden in its conclusion that this scandal was "not Watergate". Most read in The US Sun "The only reason that we have the Watergate thing in there is because we quote Archibald Cox, who was a Watergate investigator, talking about how powerful the presidency is and how presidents get surrounded by people who have a vested interest in keeping that president propped up," he told Morgan. "This is an entirely separate scandal," Tapper repeated. "Maybe even worse … maybe even worse." Joe Biden diagnosed with 'aggressive' form of prostate cancer It comes following the announcement the A spokesperson for the former president said: "While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management." Biden's ailing health was the subject of intense speculation for much of his time in the White House, with many observers questioning if he was fit to serve a second term in office. While the octogenarian initially announced he would seek re-election, he dropped out of the race after a calamitous debate performance in June 2024. He was replaced as presumptive Democratic nominee by his Vice President Timeline of Biden's failed re-election bid President Joe Biden endured weeks of calls to step aside before he announced on July 21 that he was dropping out of the 2024 presidential race. Here are key developments leading up to his decision. June 27: Biden's disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump sparks calls for him to step aside. His voice was raspy and he trailed off several times after having already endured questions about his age and mental capacity following a series of blunders at public events. July 2: Polls after the debate indicate that Trump is pulling ahead. Texas Representative Lloyd Doggett was the first Democratic congressman to publicly urge Biden to drop his bid for re-election, and big Democratic donors issued the same call a day later. July 5: Biden does a live TV interview with George Stephanopoulos where he tries to quell fears about his age and debate performance. He called the debate "bad night" and said he was under the weather and "exhausted." July 10: Vermont Senator Peter Welch becomes the first senator to call for Biden to drop out. July 11: Biden refers to Ukrainian President Zelensky as President Putin at a NATO event. July 13: Trump is shot at a campaign rally by a wannabe assassin. His popularity and favorability rating soared after he was seen bloodied on stage but walked off with a fist in the air, telling the crowd to "fight!" July 17: California Representative Adam Schiff and a series of other Democrats call for Biden to step aside. Even former President Barack Obama tells allies that Biden's path to victory has "greatly diminished." Biden tests positive for Covid-19 hours after saying he would consider ending his bid if he were diagnosed with "some medical issue." July 19: Biden insists he will continue campaigning in his first statement since Obama's U-turn, despite reports that he would decide to drop out by the weekend. July 21: Just before 2 pm, Biden announces he is stepping aside in the 2024 election and endorses Vice President Kamala Harris. But the debate was far from the only sign of Biden's deterioration. Biden once "It was like watching someone who was not alive," a Hollywood source said in the book. "It was startling. And we all looked at each other. It was so awful." Another leaked audio clip appears to show Speaking to Morgan, Tapper addressed criticisms that many in the US media had failed to sufficiently cover reports of Biden's ailing health. "I feel like I owe the American people an acknowledgement that I wish I had covered the story better," he said. Tapper told CNN earlier this month: "I think some of the criticism is fair, to be honest. Read more on the Irish Sun "Of me, certainly. I'm not going to speak for anybody else, but knowing then what I know now, I look back at my coverage during the Biden years — and I did cover some of these issues, but not enough. "I look back on it with humility."
Newsweek
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Ex-Biden Official Rips Into Former President for Recent Interviews
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Former Biden administration official Anthony Coley called out ex-President Joe Biden amid his recent interviews, saying it's "not helpful" to the Democratic Party in the aftermath of the 2024 presidential election loss. Newsweek reached out to Biden's office via online form for comment Friday night. Why It Matters Following former Vice President Kamala Harris' election loss in November and President Donald Trump's inauguration in January, both Harris and Biden have kept a somewhat low political profile. Democrats have faced growing turmoil and scrutiny following the election loss, as the party struggles with delivering a cohesive message and picking a clear leader who resonates with voters. After the 2024 election, Republicans gained control of the White House, Senate and Congress. In early polls surveying Americans on potential 2028 candidates, Harris has been a notable contender along with New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, California Governor Gavin Newsom and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. Former President Joe Biden speaks at a conference hosted by the Advocates, Counselors, and Representatives for the Disabled (ACRD) on April 15 in Chicago. (Photo by) Former President Joe Biden speaks at a conference hosted by the Advocates, Counselors, and Representatives for the Disabled (ACRD) on April 15 in Chicago. (Photo by) What To Know Biden sat down for ABC's The View in his first live televised interview since leaving office. During the appearance, he said he ultimately took responsibility for Trump winning the election. "I was in charge, and he won. So, you know, I take responsibility," Biden said in part. He attended the interview alongside his wife, former first lady Jill Biden. The former president reiterated his belief that he would have been able to defeat Trump again on Election Day. Biden also had an interview with BBC News earlier this week. Reacting to the former president's remarks, Coley told The Hill that "Elections are about the future. Every time Joe Biden emerges, we fight an old war." Coley led public affairs under Merrick Garland, former attorney general under Biden. He added that "Every interview he does provides a contrast to Trump that's just not helpful for the Democratic brand, which needs trusted messengers and fighters who can reach independents and moderates and inspire the base. Joe Biden ain't that." He continued by wondering how Biden's interviews are actually helping his party. Coley adds that Democratic leaders "are just ready to turn the page. I just don't think he [Biden] understands how wide and deep this sentiment is." Biden was also asked about his cognitive abilities on The View, saying in part that the people accusing him of having declined mental acuity "are wrong." What People Are Saying Former George W. Bush adviser Scott Jennings on X, formerly Twitter, this week: "Between what we saw of Biden today on The View & my understanding of what's about to drop in the Tapper/Thompson book, I don't think Dems have fully internalized the nuclear bomb that's about to hit their party." Republican Representative Wesley Hunt of Texas posted to X on Friday: "ICYMI: Biden fumbles a softball on The View about his mental decline—rambles about COVID and the Civil War. Jill jumps in to save him... again. Memo to the Bidens: this PR tour is more 'Weekend at Bernie's' than West Wing. Give it a rest." Jill Biden on The View, in part: "Joe worked really hard. I think he was a great president. ... If you look at things today, give me Joe Biden anytime." What Happens Next Biden has hired veteran communications expert and former Biden official Chris Meagher, a move that potentially indicates more media appearances may be on the horizon.
Newsweek
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Ex-Biden Fundraiser Says She Has 'Agony' Over Not Speaking Up on Decline
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Lindy Li, a former fundraiser for former President Joe Biden, said she feels "agony" over not speaking up about his alleged decline. Newsweek reached out to Biden's press office for comment via email and Li for comment via Instagram. Why It Matters Biden's age remains a divisive issue among Democrats, many of whom believe his decision to run again, despite concerns that he was too old to serve another four years in office, may have cost them the election against President Donald Trump last year. Others, however, say age concerns have been blown out of proportion and that Democrats who called for him to step aside are to blame for leaving the party in a weaker position. Li spent the last decade as an influential Democratic donor and surrogate but has repositioned herself as more conservative after Trump's victory last November. She has frequently spoken out against Democrats this year despite her past support for the party. What to Know Li addressed Biden's alleged decline in an interview with journalist Tara Palmeri, who published on YouTube on Wednesday. Li said she began to believe Biden was not "as quick as he was before" in 2022 and noticed that he would need notecards "for simple things" at events, she said. President Joe Biden speaks during a conference hosted by the Advocates, Counselors, and Representatives for the Disabled (ACRD) on April 15, 2025, in Chicago, Illinois President Joe Biden speaks during a conference hosted by the Advocates, Counselors, and Representatives for the Disabled (ACRD) on April 15, 2025, in Chicago, IllinoisShe believed Biden was given questions beforehand during a small event in February 2023 and that his answers came across as "rehearsed," she said. Li also said donor photos took a long time because Biden looked "really old." "There are photos that I have of me and him that make him look really bad. Like really, really old," Li said. She also said she raised concerns about Democrats' stance on immigration, but some in the party dismissed those concerns. Despite these concerns, Li remained a vocal champion for Biden and Palmeri asked Vice President Kamala Harris throughout the 2024 election, frequently sharing support for Democrats on social media, where she built a substantial following. Palmeri asked Li if she had any "regrets" about her time with Biden and not doing anything to share her concerns at the time. "Trust me, I do all the time," Li said. "It causes me agony." In the weeks following the election, Li increasingly broke with the party before leaving it altogether. Li has frequently discussed her exit from the Democratic Party after the election, previously describing it as "leaving a cult" and saying she was ostracized from the party after questioning former Vice President Kamala Harris' abilities to lead the party to victory. She's since said she is supporting Republicans in the midterms. What People Are Saying Former Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison responded to her interview on X: "Hilarious... in this interview Lying Lindy name checks @kenmartin73 and me to say that she expressed to us her concerns. Haha! You want to know what her 'concerns' were... " Author John Pavlovitz responded: "I knew Lindy Li, worked closely with her on a huge Kamala fundraiser. She endorsed my book and I considered her a friend. The second the election was decided, she immediately pivoted to Trump and started trying to rebrand herself as a victim of the 'Dem cult.'" Li, during the interview: "This is my truth. Take it or leave it. I don't need you, Tara Palmeri, I don't need you to believe me. And I have the receipts." What Happens Next Democrats are working to regroup after the 2024 election in hopes of reclaiming a congressional majority in the 2026 midterms. Historically, the party of the president in power loses seats during the midterms, giving Democrats some hope about the midterms.
New York Post
27-04-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
The Dems' far-left agenda is just starting — and the worst is yet to come
To most Americans, the big problem with the Democratic Party is that it has moved too far left in recent years. If you're among those who believe that, brace yourself. The worst is yet to come. A serious push is underway to move the party even further away from the political center, embrace economic plans close to pure socialism and launch radical woke culture battles. Advertisement 5 Former U.S. President Joe Biden makes his first major speech since leaving office, at the Advocates, Counselors, and Representatives for the Disabled (ACRD) conference in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. April 15, 2025. REUTERS It sounds like a bad joke, but it's really happening. And it's a movement that goes beyond the socialist fever dreams of Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Although some of the push is a reaction to Donald Trump's election in November and his embrace of America First policies, the fury reflects more than just Trump Derangement Syndrome. Advertisement Consider the lead sentence in a recent fundraising email. 'Democratic voters want a more progressive party,' began a pitch from a far-left group called Justice Democrats. To my surprise, a legitimate national poll supports the claim, and others hint at the same trend. Survey USA, in a poll taken earlier this month, found that 50% of Dems said they want the party to 'become more progressive,' 24% said it should 'stay the same' and just 18% said 'become more moderate.' Advertisement 5 Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), left, and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) wave during a stop of the 'Fighting Oligarchy' rally at Folsom Lake College in Folsom, Calif., Tuesday, April 15, 2025. AP Lowest approval rating I've been trying to wrap my head around the findings, but can only wonder how much further left Dems can go before they fall off the face of the Earth. Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez and their angry fellow travelers apparently aim to find out. Their big, boisterous rallies are all about tearing down what Sanders calls 'ubercapitalism,' but history and current events show that socialism always adds to human misery. Advertisement Perhaps the left's new power couple should go on a fact-finding trip to Cuba and Venezuela to see for themselves. Or they could ask the 12 million illegal immigrants Joe Biden let in why they risked life and limb to get here if America is such a terrible, rotten place to live and work. One thing the radicals can't deny is that the Dem party that voters soundly rejected last November has its lowest national approval rating ever at under 30%. Most of that dismal view is because it's widely seen as too far left already. 5 Former Vice President Kamala Harris accepts the Chairman's Award onstage during the 56th NAACP Image Awards at Pasadena Civic Auditorium on February 22, 2025 in Pasadena, California. Getty Images for BET The reasons are obvious: The party is largely anti-police and pro-criminal, it's riddled with antisemitism and some congressional members are foolishly fixated on defending gang members who came to America as part of the illegal migration wave. In addition, party leaders never met a tax hike they didn't embrace and made Elon Musk Public Enemy No. 1 for daring to try to cut fraud and waste from the bloated, debt-riddled federal budget. Advertisement Dems, elite universities and a web of NGOs fattened on taxpayer money are reacting as if the world would end if even a penny were cut. These and similar positions put the party well outside the American mainstream, so what would it mean to be even more progressive? And where are the voters who are willing to support such madness? They're certainly not among those common sense Americans fleeing high-tax, crime-infested blue states. Advertisement The answers about finding new voters are vague by necessity. As the Justice Democrats insist in their email pitch, 'Too many Democratic leaders keep chasing the center, running Republican-lite campaigns that don't reflect the values of the people who put them in office.' Younger, more radical So moderation is the enemy and no self-respecting Dem should be caught anywhere near the center of the political spectrum? Got it. Except Biden and Kamala Harris had the most far-left administration in the modern era, and the results were disastrous for the nation — and the party. Yet the desire to drink more of the same Kool-Aid is especially prevalent among young Dems. Advertisement The Harvard Youth Poll released last week shows that of the 18- to 29-year-olds who voted for Harris last November, only 23% approve of what congressional Dems are doing. 5 U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) waves during a stop on the Fighting Oligarchy tour at the Dignity Health Arena, Theater in Bakersfield, California, U.S. on April 15, 2025. REUTERS This, too, is divorced from reality. Dems in Congress have opposed virtually everything Trump has proposed, including his Cabinet nominees. Most wouldn't even stand when Trump, speaking to a joint session of Congress, saluted families who lost loved ones to migrant murderers. Nor were they moved by a 13-year-old boy with cancer the president honored. Advertisement The only time Dems have compromised this year was when Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and nine other Dems voted to keep the government open instead of killing a GOP spending bill that would have shut down the government. Schumer was right when he said Dems would be blamed for the shutdown, but the left is so eager for a fight that it wanted him to burn it all down. For his trouble, Schumer has been targeted by his party, with calls for AOC to challenge him in a primary. That wouldn't be until 2028, but the idea of using primary battles to remake the party younger and more radical is now out in the open. A prime antagonist is David Hogg, the 25-year-old anti-gun activist who was recently named a vice-chair of the Democratic National Committee. The move aimed to show young voters the party was open to their generation and ideas, but it immediately backfired in spectacular fashion. Hogg said he would start a multimillion-dollar fund to challenge 'asleep-at-the-wheel' incumbents in primaries. Jeopardizing victory His pledge rattled the old guard, which aims to expand its members, not trade trusted old ones for radical new ones. 'No DNC officer should ever attempt to influence the outcome of a primary election, whether on behalf of an incumbent or a challenger,' DNC Chair Ken Martin said in a call with reporters. 'Voters should decide who our primary nominees are, not DNC leadership.' Although Trump and congressional Republicans are the targets, the Dems determination to marginalize themselves isn't necessarily good for the country as a whole. 5 Kamala Harris speaks onstage during the HumanX AI Conference 2025 at Fontainebleau Las Vegas on March 09, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Getty Images for HumanX Conference The two-party system works best when the competition is over voters who are slightly to the right or left of center. The need to attract these swing voters has a moderating influence on the government as a whole. Presidents temper their agenda so that voting for it doesn't cost their members their seats, especially in the House, where control has been shifting in recent years. Trump lost the House two years after the GOP swept the 2016 election, and Biden lost it in the 2022 midterms. From that point on, most of their domestic agendas were dead. The pattern shows that voters punish presidents and parties that are seen as straying too far from the middle. The oddity now is that Trump's poll numbers are slipping and with the GOP holding the narrowest possible House majority, control could easily shift next year. All of which makes the Dems' behavior so bizarre. Most are willing to jeopardize their chances of victory in favor of moving further to the left. Good luck with that.
The Hill
16-04-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Biden says Trump's admin has ‘done so much damage' since taking office
Former President Biden said the Trump administration has 'done so much damage and so much destruction' since taking office, accusing the White House of having 'taken a hatchet' to the Social Security Administration (SSA) and 'breaking things' as he delivered his first remarks since leaving the Oval Office earlier this year. 'Fewer than 100 days, this new administration has made so much – done so much damage and so much destruction. It's kind of breathtaking it could happen that soon,' Biden said at the national conference of Advocates, Counselors and Representatives for the Disabled (ACRD) in Chicago. 'They've taken a hatchet to the Social Security Administration,' Biden said. '7000 employees – 7000 – out the door in that time, including the most seasoned officials … Already we can see the effects.' The speech, Biden's first major remarks since he handed control of the White House over to President Trump, comes amid fears from Democrats that Trump's attempts to crack down on government bureaucracy and spending could ultimately damage Social Security and hurt the tens of millions of Americans who receive the benefits. The SSA has planned significant workforce reductions, and the agency faces a lawsuit over access by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) commission, led by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, to millions of Americans' personal data stored in SSA systems. Biden on Tuesday touted his own work on Social Security, the government program he called 'a sacred promise,' without directly name-dropping his successor — but he took swipes at Republicans in Congress and the administration more broadly as he sounded alarm bells. 'Why are these guys taking aim at Social Security now? They're following that old line from tech startups. The quote is, 'move fast, break things.' They're certainly breaking things. They're shooting first and aiming later,' Biden said. He added that he had said a quote from former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley: 'They want to wreck it so they can rob it.' O'Malley, who led the SSA under Biden, presented the former president with the ACRD's Beacon of Hope Award as he introduced Biden's keynote speech. Biden also snagged laughs from the audience at what organizers said was a sold-out event with a dig at dubious claims from Trump and Musk that millions of people over 100 years old are receiving Social Security payments. 'By the way, those 300-year-old folk[s] getting that Social Security, I want to meet 'em because I'd like to figure out how they live that long. Hell of a thing, man. I'm looking for longevity. Because it's hell when you turn 40 years old,' Biden quipped. Asked about Biden's speech ahead of time, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday knocked the ex-president's age. At 82 in his last year of office, Biden was the oldest sitting president. At 78, Trump is now the oldest man elected president. 'I'm shocked that he is speaking at nighttime. I thought his bedtime was much earlier than his speech tonight,' Leavitt said. 'Let me make it very clear … this president, President Trump, is absolutely certain about protecting Social Security benefits for law-abiding, taxpaying American citizens and seniors who have paid into this program.' Leavitt also announced that Trump would sign a presidential memorandum aimed at 'stopping illegal aliens, and other ineligible people' from obtaining the benefits.
