Latest news with #AndrewBates
Fox News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
New book exposes how top Biden comms staffer was 'tip of the spear' covering up Biden's cognitive decline
Print Close By Andrew Miller, Cameron Cawthorne Published May 22, 2025 A new book sheds light on former White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates' role in defending President Joe Biden's mental acuity, which the book alleges was done without the White House staff having the full picture of the president's actual condition. "Some of Bates's colleagues believed that Biden's inner circle took advantage of his loyalty and told him to deny things they knew were true," Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson wrote in their new book "Original Sin," detailing the inner workings of the Biden White House and attempts to downplay concerns about the president's mental and physical fitness. "He, along with most of the press team, rarely met with the president and didn't have firsthand knowledge of the president's wherewithal," the book continued. "They relied on senior staff for answers. Still, risking his own credibility, Bates willingly became the White House's tip of the spear when it came to fighting off any reporting on Biden's acuity." Outside of White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, Bates was perhaps the most prominent face of the public-facing defense of Biden during his administration, often handling requests for comment from reporters and is mentioned about half a dozen times in the book. 'THE VIEW' MELTS DOWN OVER LATEST BIDEN BOOK, SLAMS CNN FOR 'HAWKING' IT The book goes into detail about an alleged "modus operandi" from the Biden campaign and the White House for "attacking any journalist who covered any questions about the president's age" with the goal to "shame journalists and create a disincentive structure for those curious about the president's condition." "To answer the question on everyone's minds: No, Joe Biden does not have a doctorate in foreign affairs. He's just that f---ing good," Bates posted on X following a Biden press conference two weeks after the debate performance that many believe was the beginning of the end of his campaign. The book looked back on that remark and stated that it "reflected the views of the Politburo but among professional Democrats, it became an instant legend for its sycophancy and tone-deafness." Bates dismissed the book's narrative about him, telling Fox News Digital it "is distorted, stretching select facts while excluding others." A former Biden White House staffer also came to Bates' defense, telling Fox News Digital, "This gets important facts wrong." FORMER BIDEN MEDICAL ADVISOR SAYS HE 'PROBABLY' HAD CANCER AT BEGINNING OF PRESIDENCY "Bates served as a senior spokesperson who met with and traveled with the President, including in the Oval and on Air Force One, staffing him around the country and on Capitol Hill. That's public information. He served as a point person in the press office on major legislative and political issues," the former White House staffer continued. "He was known for being respectful and considerate if a colleague didn't want to do an interview for a challenging story, whether it was about policy or anything else." The book details one specific instance of the White House successfully killing a story when "weeks" before the explosive Wall Street Journal story detailing concern about Biden's decline came out in June, Steve Ricchetti, former White House deputy chief of staff, strongly denied claims that the president was slipping to another journalist. "[A] reporter with a different national news outlet had been hearing from White House aides that behind the scenes the president was having serious and disturbing moments, forgetting names and facts, sometimes seeming seriously confused at meetings," the book read. "The reporter reached out to members of the White House press office, which not only aggressively—and angrily—disputed her reporting but also took the unusual step of having Steve Ricchetti call her," the book said. "He talked to her off the record, so she couldn't use any of what he said or even attribute it to 'a White House source.' But he told her that everything the others were saying was false, and that he was at the meetings as a counselor to the president." According to Tapper and Thompson, the Biden White House was going all out trying to control the perception of his health. "The message from the White House was clear, this reporter believed: If she went forward with the story from anonymous aides, the White House would aggressively dispute it, on the record, and portray her as a liar," the book reads. "The tacit threat worked." The book has sparked intense reactions from both sides of the aisle, leading many to slam the media's coverage of Biden's mental acuity and blame the media and Biden's team for covering up the facts of the situation. Fox News Digital has written extensively dating back to the 2020 presidential campaign about Biden's cognitive decline and his inner circle's role in covering it up. Others have pushed back against the framing of the book, including Naomi Biden, Joe Biden's granddaughter, who delivered a scathing rebuke to the new book, calling it "silly" and "political fairy smut." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP CNN, Tapper's network, has also faced pushback for its promotion of the book, including from "The View" and Daily Show host Jon Stewart, who took issue with the network promoting the book under the backdrop of Biden's recent cancer diagnosis. In a statement to Fox News Digital, a Biden spokesperson said, "There is nothing in this book that shows Joe Biden failed to do his job, as the authors have alleged, nor did they prove their allegation that there was a cover up or conspiracy." "Nowhere do they show that our national security was threatened or where the President wasn't otherwise engaged in the important matters of the Presidency. In fact, Joe Biden was an effective President who led our country with empathy and skill." Fox News Digital's Hanna Panreck and Rachel del Guidice contributed to this report Print Close URL
Daily Mail
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Haunting clip of Biden's very strange behavior during 2023 MSNBC interview hinted at his cancer, viewers claim
Footage of President Joe Biden 's abrupt exit during a MSNBC interview two years ago has resurfaced in wake of his shocking cancer diagnosis. Biden, then 80, had sat down for a live interview with Deadline: White House host Nicolle Wallace in June 2023 during a campaign stop in New York City. As he and Wallace began to wrap up the interview by gabbing about the president's bipartisan achievements, Biden stood up, shook her hand and was seen walking off set while Wallace was still on the air. Biden's camp was forced to run damage control after the president's strange exit received more attention than the content of his interview. Then-White House spokesman Andrew Bates took to X at the time, branding Biden's abrupt exodus as a 'power move'. But video of the strange encounter has gone viral once again, with social media users suggesting that Biden's actions at the time could have been an early sign of his newly-announced health crisis. Biden, 82, was diagnosed with an 'aggressive form' of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones, his office said in a statement on Sunday. He received the diagnosis on Friday after experiencing urinary symptoms, and he and his family are reviewing treatment options with doctors, according to the statement. Social media users have now suggested that Biden was ill for much longer than his camp has led on - however, there is no official evidence to support this allegation. Commenting on the resurfaced video of his MSNBC interview, one X user posted on Monday: 'They all knew before it was announced.' 'Prostate cancer pain intensifies as you sit down longer, you're literally putting half of your weight on the tumor for a long period of time. It also makes you urinate more frequently, so maybe he had to go,' one hypothesized. Another echoed: 'Think they knew of his cancer and were going to hid it to get him elected, but praying for him.' 'Those moments don't just vanish, they shape public trust, whether fair or not,' added another. But some users rushed to the president's defense, criticizing skeptics for 'attacking a sick man' during this 'difficult time'. 'I can't believe we're bafflingly attacking a sick man and having 0 empathy at such a difficult time that could happen to everyone, even Trump, it seems that Christ doesn't abound in their hearts,' one wrote. 'He walked off because the set was done. I dont (sic) think this is too strange. Normally people do not walk off, that is true, but he walked off becoz (sic) he wanted to, and the set was done,' said another. 'This wins the award for dumbest and most made up post of the day so far,' added another user who took direct aim at political commentator Benny Johnson for even sharing the old footage on X early Monday morning. The clip has already been viewed more than 236,000 times on the platform. Biden issued a statement on X early Monday morning, confirming his prostate cancer diagnosi s. '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,' he wrote. Cancers that have spread, or metastasized, are considered Stage 4, the most advanced. Most prostate cancers are detected at an earlier stage. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, of the 236,659 cases of prostate cancer diagnosed in 2021, 70 per cent were diagnosed before the cancer had spread beyond the prostate. About 8 per cent of new prostate cancer diagnoses that year involved advanced-stage disease. 'While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management,' Biden's office said on Sunday. Biden's physical health and mental acuity drew scrutiny during his 2021-2025 presidency. He abruptly ended his bid for reelection last July, weeks after a halting performance during a debate against Republican Donald Trump prompted panic among his fellow Democrats. President Trump, who has repeatedly berated Biden since taking office in January, expressed sympathy on Sunday for Biden and his wife, Jill, in a post on his social media platform Truth Social. 'Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden's recent medical diagnosis,' he wrote. 'We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.' Biden's office said the cancer scored a nine out of 10 on the Gleason score grading system, which is used to help determine the aggressiveness of prostate cancer. Social media users have now suggested that Biden was ill for much longer than his camp has led on - however, there is no official evidence to support this allegation But some users rushed to the president's defense, criticizing skeptics for 'attacking a sick man' during this 'difficult time' Biden was the oldest person to win the US presidency at the time of his election in 2020. Trump, 78, broke that record when he defeated Vice President Kamala Harris last year. Some prominent Democrats have recently acknowledged that it was an error to advance Biden as the 2024 nominee, given widespread concerns among voters about his age. Long before the debate last summer, polls showed a majority of Americans, including most Democrats, believed Biden was too old to serve a second term. 'It was a mistake for Democrats to not listen to the voters earlier,' Democratic US Senator Chris Murphy told NBC News' 'Meet the Press' on Sunday morning, before Biden's diagnosis was announced. Biden has kept a low profile since leaving office, making only a handful of public appearances, including an April speech in which he defended the Social Security Administration against Trump's planned cuts. He has also defended his legacy in interviews and rejected reporting in two new books that he suffered from cognitive decline during his last year in office. 'They are wrong,' he said earlier this month on ABC's 'The View,' referring to the books' authors. Biden's diagnosis triggered an outpouring of supportive statements on Sunday from Democrats and Republicans alike. 'Joe is a fighter - and I know he will face this challenge with the same strength, resilience and optimism that have always defined his life and leadership,' Harris said in a statement. Biden lost a son, Beau Biden, in 2015 due to brain cancer. In 2022, Biden revived an Obama-era program known as Cancer Moonshot, seeking to reduce the death rate from cancer by at least 50 per cent over the next 25 years.
Daily Mail
19-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Biden conspiracy theorists leap on video of him saying he has cancer in 2022
A resurfaced clip of Joe Biden saying he 'has cancer ' during a 2022 speech has been seized upon by conspiracy theorists after the president's actual cancer diagnosis was confirmed three years later. Biden, then 79, was speaking about environmental pollution in Massachusetts when he veered off-script and said, 'That's why I - and so damn many other people I grew up with - have cancer.' The remark, delivered in the present tense, triggered immediate confusion and speculation at the time. The White House in 2022 quickly dismissed the statement, saying Biden was referring to non-melanoma skin cancers removed before he took office. But with Biden's office confirming on Sunday that he has metastatic prostate cancer, the line is being viewed in a new, and far more explosive, light. The resurfaced footage is now going viral, with critics suggesting it may have been an accidental admission - or even a sign that the truth had been hidden for years. A White House spokesman referred to a Washington Post reporter's tweet which claimed Biden was referring to having had non-melanoma skin lesions removed Biden was discussing growing up near oil refineries in Delaware when he made the unexpected remark about having cancer in 2022. The Republican National Committee immediately tweeted: 'Did Joe Biden just announce he has cancer?' At the time, the White House press office scrambled to clarify, pointing to past skin cancer removals due to sun exposure. White House spokesman Andrew Bates posted a tweet referencing Biden's medical records and claiming the comment was being taken out of context. But Biden's use of the present tense -'I have cancer' - was never fully explained, and the White House never released an on-camera clarification from the president himself. Three years later, the cancer is real, and the questions are back. On Sunday afternoon Biden's office confirmed that the former president has been diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer that has spread to the bone. His Gleason score is 9, indicating one of the most serious forms of the disease. The diagnosis came just days after the release of damning audio recordings from Biden's 2023 interview with special counsel Robert Hur, where the president struggled to remember key dates and even asked, 'Am I making any sense to you?' Conspiracy theorists are now pointing to the 2022 clip as proof Biden's illness was hidden in plain sight At least one person was prepared to give Biden the benefit of the doubt as to what he was referring to The sudden shift in news coverage, from mental decline to cancer battle also sparked further speculation about the timing of the release of the news. The original medical report from Biden's doctor Dr. Kevin O'Connor stated the former president had lesions removed by Mohs surgery prior to taking office and showed no signs of active skin cancer. But the language Biden used, and the lack of follow-up clarity, left room for speculation. The resurfaced clip comes just as CNN's Jake Tapper releases his book which alleges aides actively concealed Biden's cognitive and physical deterioration from the public. Combined, the new diagnosis, the leaked audio, and the resurfaced cancer remark are raising fresh doubts about what was known and and when. Whether it was an error and Biden simply misspoke, the clip has taken on new meaning.
Fast Company
06-05-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
Trump critics are launching a new bipartisan group to put a spotlight on rising costs
A bipartisan group of President Donald Trump's critics is launching a new organization, dubbed the Cost Coalition, to highlight Trump's struggle to control rising costs in the early months of his new presidency. The group expects to be especially active ahead of upcoming elections in Virginia, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, according to preliminary plans shared with The Associated Press this week ahead of a formal announcement. The Cost Coalition will push its message through a combination of paid advertising, social media, press interviews and on-the-ground events with small business leaders, veterans and the faith community. Terry Holt, a former spokesperson to former President George W. Bush and former House Speaker John Boehner, both Republicans, is serving as a senior communications adviser along with Andrew Bates, a former spokesperson for former President Joe Biden, a Democrat. 'In 100 days, Donald Trump put the best-performing economy in the world on a crash course toward recession. Trump's tariffs—the biggest middle class tax hike in modern history—are making everyday prices skyrocket and wreaking havoc for businesses large and small,' Holt and Bates said in a joint statement. 'Next up are grossly inflationary tax cuts for the wealthy that will only saddle future generations with staggering debt. Whether you're a Republican, Democrat, or anything else, Donald Trump's agenda is an economic crisis threatening your livelihood and standard of living.' The new group enters a political landscape already packed with powerful voices fighting to shape the national conversation little more than 100 days after Trump began his second term. The Republican president vowed to 'end inflation' on Day 1, but he has focused more on immigration, culture wars and exacting revenge against his political adversaries while launching a global trade war that has pushed some costs higher and threatens to send the U.S. economy into recession. Trump late last week said on his social media platform that there is 'NO INFLATION' and claimed that grocery and egg prices have fallen, and that gasoline has dropped to $1.98 a gallon. That's not entirely true: Grocery prices have jumped 0.5% in two of the past three months and are up 2.4% from a year ago. Gasoline and oil prices have declined—gas costs are down 10% from a year ago—continuing a longer-running trend that has continued in part because of fears the economy will weaken. Inflation did drop noticeably in March, an encouraging sign, though in the first three months of the year it was 3.6%, according to the Federal Reserve's preferred gauge, well above its 2% target. The Cost Coalition will be led by a team of veteran operatives who played key roles for Kamala Harris' unsuccessful presidential campaign: Republican strategist Austin Weatherford, the leader of 'Republicans for Harris'; Rev. Jennifer Butler, Harris' national faith and engagement director; Libby Jamison, the Harris campaign's national director of veteran and military family engagement; political strategist Leslie Gross, a veteran of the Obama-Biden administration; and George Holman, who served in the Biden administration. A spokesperson declined to say how the new group will be funded, except to say it has 'seed contributions' from some large donors in both parties and will also rely on grassroots donations. As a project of the American Values Alliance, the organization will be set up as a nonprofit with a hybrid political action committee. As such, it won't have to publicly disclose all of its funding sources.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Biden's former spokesman slams Trump and GOP for 'colluding to impeach' judges
FIRST ON FOX: A top former spokesperson for former President Joe Biden blasted President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress for proposing potential judicial impeachments as the administration encounters court-imposed obstacles in enacting its agenda. Former White House spokesperson Andrew Bates now advises a group known as Unlikely Allies, which says it is working to create "cross-partisan support for the needs and interests of all Americans." "Radical, corrupt attacks on judges are putting our Constitution and the freedom of every single American in danger from government overreach," Bates told Fox News Digital on the group's behalf. "For the first time in history, our president and members of his party in Congress are colluding to impeach any federal judge who stops the most powerful person in the world from breaking the law. Dem Senator On Schumer Future: 'Important' To Know 'When It's Time To Go' "The president has also called for making dissent illegal, which would trample the First Amendment and threaten the fundamental right of any American to disagree with his agenda — whether it's cutting taxes for the rich or raising the prices he falsely promised to lower." According to the group, Unlikely Allies "is made up of everyday citizens, families, communities, and organizations who are committed to solving our toughest problems, together." Read On The Fox News App Scoop: Bill Preventing Activist Judges From Blocking Trump's Agenda Backed By White House "Driven by the values that unite us, our goal is to create unified, cross-partisan support for the needs and interests of all Americans. This isn't about left or right, Republican or Democrat — it's about American values and holding our government accountable," a description of the organization says. The White House responded to Bates' statement, with deputy press secretary Anna Kelly telling Fox News Digital, "Biden communications alum Andrew Bates has no credibility after lying to the world about Biden's cognitive decline. Just like these judges, Bates is a left-wing activist masquerading as a nonpartisan as he works to destroy the separation of powers and subvert the will of the American people." The dispute comes as federal judges across the country continue to impose restrictions on Trump actions until further review and legal determinations. Recently, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg granted an emergency order to temporarily halt the administration's deportation flights of illegal immigrants. Speaker Johnson Says Gop Looking At 'All Available Options' To Address 'Activist Judges' Opposing Trump The judge granted an order to review the 1798 wartime-era Alien Enemies Act being invoked by the administration to immediately deport Venezuelan nationals and alleged members of the violent gang Tren de Aragua. This only further angered the president, who appeared to call for Boasberg's impeachment. "This judge, like many of the Crooked Judges' I am forced to appear before, should be IMPEACHED!!! WE DON'T WANT VICIOUS, VIOLENT, AND DEMENTED CRIMINALS, MANY OF THEM DERANGED MURDERERS, IN OUR COUNTRY. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!" Trump said on Truth Social. Dem Senator Refuses To Address Relationship With Founder Of Soros-funded 'Propaganda' News Network Republicans in general have appeared to scrutinize the ability of federal district judges to make blanket nationwide orders in recent days. "Federal judges aren't there to replace presidential policy choices," Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, wrote on X. "Nor is it their job to neuter presidents by delaying presidential decisions. "Their job is to resolve disputes about what the law says." Lee also said he is working on a bill to address the issue. In the House, Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., has a measure that would prevent federal judges from issuing nationwide injunctions. Multiple sources told Fox News Digital Trump has shown interest in Issa's bill. Top White House aides shared as much with senior Capitol Hill staff this week, explaining that "the president wants this."Original article source: Biden's former spokesman slams Trump and GOP for 'colluding to impeach' judges
