Latest news with #OriginalSin
The Independent
2 hours ago
- General
- The Independent
Joe Biden delivers first public remarks since prostate cancer diagnosis, says he has ‘no regrets' about not running
Participating in a Memorial Day commemoration, Joe Biden made his first public address since the announcement of his Stage 4 prostate cancer diagnosis at a Biden family event in his home state of Delaware on Friday. Speaking to reporters after the event, Biden said he had 'no regrets' about not running for re-election in 2024. At the same time, he dismissed any concerns about his cognitive and physical fitness. 'You can see that I'm mentally incompetent and I can't walk, and I can beat the hell out of both of them,' he quipped in response to a reporter noting there's been a 'lot of discussion' about his health while he was in office. That feisty answer sparked speculation online that the former commander-in-chief was referencing the two authors of the recent book Original Sin, which alleges that Biden was in an advanced state of mental decline in the last years of his presidency and the White House covered it up. 'Do you want to reply to any of those reports, and also to the fact that there are some Democrats who are now questioning whether you should have run for reelection in the first place?' the reporter followed up, prompting Biden to reply: 'Why didn't they run against me then? Because I'd have beaten them.' Still, when asked if he had any regrets about dropping out of the race, Biden said he did not and that 'we're in a really difficult moment, not only in American history and world history.' As for his current prognosis, he said he was already undergoing treatment and that his doctors are 'very optimistic' about his chances. 'It's all a matter of taking a pill, one particular pill,' he said. 'And for the next six weeks, and then another one. And the expectation is we're going to be able to beat this. There's no it's not in any organ. My bones are strong. It hasn't penetrated. So I'm feeling good.' Furthermore, he defended his record as president, saying he was 'very proud' of his administration's accomplishments and he'd put his 'record as president against any president at all.' 'My friends, Memorial Day is about something profound,' a somewhat fired-up Biden declared during the speech. 'Our politics have become so divided and bitter. All the years I have been doing this, I never thought we would get to this point, but we are.' He added: 'Our troops do not wear a uniform that says I'm a Democrat or a Republican. It says, I am an American!' While the 82-year-old former commander-in-chief did cough a couple of times during the short speech, it appeared he was just trying to clear his throat as he attempted to deliver an energized address to the audience, which was filled with his family, friends and state officials. He also used the speech to acknowledge his deceased son Beau, who died 10 years ago to the day from brain cancer and served in the Iraq War. Biden has said he believes Beau got the cancer from exposure to toxic burn pits in Iraq. 'I know for many of you, Memorial Day is deeply personal. For the Bidens, this day is the 10th anniversary of the loss of my son Beau, who served in Iraq,' he said. 'It is a hard day.' Much of the speech, of course, centered on honoring veterans and those who have given their lives fighting for the country. 'Because of them, American democracy has endured for nearly 250 years. Every generation, every generation has to fight to maintain that democracy every time, every generation,' the former president exclaimed. 'Because of them, our government is still of the people, by the people, and for the people. They are we, and we are still free. Now, we must make sure that sacrifice has never been in vain.' At the end of the speech, Biden walked off to applause while a man towards the back repeatedly shouted something towards the former president, though it wasn't clear if he was heckling Biden or cheering him on. The former president's office announced last week that he had been diagnosed with an 'aggressive' form of cancer after doctors found a small nodule on his prostate, resulting in further evaluations. Eventually, it was discovered that Biden had prostate cancer that was 'characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone.' 'While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management,' a Biden spokesperson added. 'The president and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.' Though Biden only took veiled shots at the current administration, and his successor, Donald Trump, couldn't resist directly attacking the former president during his own Memorial Day speech, which was meant to honor America's fallen heroes. 'That was a hard four years we went through — who would let that happen?' Trump grumbled. 'People pouring through our borders, unchecked, people doing things that are indescribable.' Meanwhile, the ex-president's cancer diagnosis comes as he and his close aides and family have come under renewed fire over Biden's cognitive and physical decline during his time in the White House, largely due to the release of the Robert Hur tapes and the publication of several recent books. Specifically, the recently published Original Sin, co-authored by CNN anchor Jake Tapper and Axios correspondent Alex Thompson, alleges that there was a White House 'cover-up' to conceal Biden's flailing health as the 2024 election approached. With Tapper and Thompson doing an extensive media tour to promote the book, Republicans and conservative media have called for a congressional investigation into the former administration's handling of Biden's declining health.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
The Biden cover-up: a 'near-treasonous' conspiracy
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Is it possible to stage a political cover-up over something that's obvious to everyone? Weirdly, it is, said Alex Shephard in The New Republic. If you don't believe it, just read "Original Sin", the new book by journalists Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson about how Joe Biden's family and colleagues conspired to hide his growing frailty and confusion during his time in the White House. It was a vain effort in some respects, as Biden's decline was evident to anyone who saw him walk or talk. Poll after poll showed that voters were all too aware of the issue. Yet the White House succeeded in suppressing talk about it, at least until Biden's disastrous TV debate with Donald Trump. It used "tactics that can only be described as Trumpian – denying any and all accusations", and attacking the credibility of any reporter or politician who raised legitimate questions about the president's fitness. We can't let sympathy with Biden over his recent cancer diagnosis stand in the way of a "reckoning" for this cover-up, said Megan McArdle in The Washington Post. Thanks to "Original Sin", we now know that "the most powerful nation in the world and its nuclear arsenal were left in the hands of a man who could not reliably recognise people he'd known for years, maintain his train of thought or speak in coherent sentences". By late 2023, Biden's staff were apparently pushing as much of his schedule as possible to midday, when he was at his sharpest. Even for small meetings, he often relied on a teleprompter. The hiding of Biden's decline represents a "near-treasonous dereliction of duty" by his staff. Democrats and the liberal press have a lot to answer for, too. Biden and his backers were lying to themselves as much as to others, said Carlos Lozada in The New York Times. They were in thrall to the "Biden mythology" of the scrappy leader beating the odds. Because of their misgivings about Kamala Harris, and their hatred of Trump, they felt justified in concealing the truth. But Democrats now need to resist the temptation to pin the whole election debacle on Biden. If he'd dropped out of the race earlier, it's not clear that any other nominee would have done better than Harris. For too long, the Democrats have acted as the anti-Trump party, offering no positive sense of what they believe in. History won't be kind to Biden, but Democrats should be mindful that "it's easier to find a scapegoat than an identity".
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Issue Is: Alex Thompson and 'Original Sin'
LOS ANGELES - "Original Sin" by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson is the best-selling book in America this week, according to the New York Times. It's dominated the political conversation more than any other book has in years. Co-author Alex Thompson joins us this week on "The Issue Is:" to talk about what was really going on at the Biden White House, reaction to the book, and changes that are needed in the media going forward. "The Issue Is: with Elex Michaelson" is California's statewide political show. Watch more episodes at
Time of India
9 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
'My bones are strong, I'm feeling good': Joe Biden in first public speech after cancer diagnosis
Joe Biden says he will 'beat' his cancer Former US President Joe Biden on Friday gave his first public speech since announcing his aggressive prostate cancer diagnosis. Biden addressed a Memorial Day service in New Castle, Delaware. The event also marked ten years since the death of his son, Beau Biden. Speaking at Veterans Memorial Park, the 82-year-old democratic leader discussed his personal loss, national unity, and his ongoing treatment. The appearance came two weeks after Biden was diagnosed with an advanced form of prostate cancer. It has spread to his bones, but he assured the public his treatment is underway and his prognosis is hopeful. 'The expectation is we're going to be able to beat this. It's not in any organ, my bones are strong. Haven't penetrated so I'm feeling good,' Biden said after the ceremony. He added, 'It's all a matter of taking a pill, one particular pill, for the next six weeks and then another one.' 'This day is the 10th anniversary of the loss of my son Beau, who spent a year in Iraq. And to be honest, it's a hard day,' Biden told the crowd. 'Being with all of you, quite frankly, makes things a little bit easier. It really does. So thank you for allowing me to grieve with you.' Earlier on Friday, Joe and former first lady Jill Biden attended a memorial mass for Beau at Saint Joseph on the Brandywine Catholic Church in Wilmington. The former president noted that Memorial Day remains 'deeply personal' for his family. 'One of the proudest things I ever did was pinning his bars on him,' Biden said. 'It means so much to our family that the headquarters of the Delaware National Guard has been renamed after Beau.' Biden's office confirmed the diagnosis earlier this month, revealing a Gleason score of 9, the most severe level, placing him in Grade Group 5. The cancer was discovered in mid-May, and records show Biden had not undergone prostate screening since 2014. The former president's remarks also came in the shadow of recent controversy. A newly released book, Original Sin by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, has accused those around Biden of hiding signs of physical and mental decline, as well as concealing Beau's health battle. Biden dismissed the claims, saying, 'They are wrong. There's nothing to sustain that.' Jill and Joe Biden both publicly refuted the allegations during an appearance on The View earlier this month.
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Biden Challenges Jake Tapper to Fight Over Mental Competence
Joe Biden said he could 'beat the hell out of' CNN's Jake Tapper Friday, firing back against the anchor's new book that painted a damning portrait of his mental capabilities. Biden has faced a fresh onslaught of attacks on his decision to run for president since Original Sin's release earlier this month. The book, co-authored by Axios reporter Alex Thompson, reported that Biden's failing health was concealed by aides and loved ones. Asked by a CNN reporter whether he wanted to respond to the attacks on Friday, Biden had a fiery, sarcastic answer. 'You can see that I'm mentally incompetent, and I can't walk, and I can beat the hell out of both of them,' he said, seemingly referring to Tapper and Thompson. One of the revelations from Original Sin was that Biden's circle of advisers was considering getting the president a wheelchair if he was reelected. The book also reported that Biden did not recognize his long-time friend George Clooney at a Hollywood fundraise in June 2024. The book is full of quotes from members of Biden's inner circle who offered firsthand accounts of the president's cognitive challenges and their effect on his reelection campaign. Kamala Harris' campaign manager, David Plouffe, told Tapper and Thompson that Biden had 'totally f---ed us' by leaving little more than three months for her to campaign by the time he dropped out. The crisis PR firm retained by Original Sin's authors for the book's release declined to comment to the Daily Beast on Biden's fighting words. Biden, 82, made the comment about the reporters at a press gaggle following his first speech since he was diagnosed with an aggressive prostate cancer on May 18. During the address, he revealed that he has begun taking treatment in the form of a pill. 'The expectation is we're going to be able to beat this,' he said. 'It's not in any organ, it's in—my bones are strong, it hadn't penetrated. So, I'm feeling good.' After challenging his critics to a brawl, Biden made it clear that he has no qualms about his decision to run for reelection. Asked about his Democrat rivals who have criticized his decision, Biden retorted, 'Why didn't they run against me then? Because I'd have beaten them.' 'No, I don't have any regrets,' he said. 'I think we're at one of those inflection points in history, where the decisions we make in the next little bit are going to determine what things look like for the next 20 years.' While Biden has shied away from addressing the book's claims, his eldest granddaughter has ripped into the reporting as 'irresponsible.' 'If anyone is curious for a review from someone who lived it first-hand: this book is political fairy smut for the permanent, professional chattering class,' Naomi Biden wrote on X earlier in May, adding that Tapper and Thompson were 'out to make a quick buck.' Long before the book's release, Biden had been a target of blame from Democrats for Donald Trump's victory in 2024. The octogenarian had remained in the race despite concerns about his age and mental acuity until a disastrous June debate showing versus Trump.
