On June 5, The Wall Street Journal posted an article that reportedly gave a peek at President Joe Biden out of the public eye. The piece included behind-the-scenes viewpoints from those who have interacted with Biden one-on-one, stating he shows his age at times. These five people—mainly Republicans—stated that the president has had to read notes to make clear points, pauses for long periods, and sometimes even closes his eyes during meetings.
Oh, the audacity! Who would’ve thought that an octogenarian president might show signs of his age? But wait, there’s more. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) noted that Biden isn’t the “same person” he was when he was vice president. You don’t say? Aging affects people? Stop the presses!
Current House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has also expressed concern about Biden, claiming the president’s memory had lapsed about details in his own energy policies. Representative Ronny Jackson (R-TX), who once served as the White House physician for both ex-President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama, recently told Fox News Digital that the president “shouldn’t have [his] job,” alleging that Biden has “significant issues” that create a “national security issue.”
And here comes Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) in full damage control mode, accusing the WSJ of putting out a “hit piece” on the president. Pelosi said many Democrats, including herself, spent time talking to the news source while they were gathering information about the article. However, her praise and others of President Biden were curiously left out of the piece.
Pelosi said her “first-hand experiences” with the US leader showed his “wisdom, experience, strength, and strategic thinking.” Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) told the news outlet about a specific meeting about Ukraine where Biden showed great strength, but she was left out of the article as well. She said, “I wonder why.” Instead, Pelosi said the WSJ concentrated on “attacks by Republicans” to make Biden look bad.
Because nothing says “unbiased journalism” like ignoring any positive accounts and focusing solely on the criticisms.
Yet, several people noted that the president had to rely on other legislators and staffers in meetings to discuss issues while staying out of the exchange. They also claim he speaks too softly sometimes.
White House spokesperson Andrew Bates accused Johnson of misrepresenting what transpired between him and the president regarding his energy policy, adding that people are just repeating his “false account.” National Security Council official Casey Redmon also refuted Republican claims, stating that Biden only turned to aides twice in the meeting referenced in the piece.
Ah, yes, because the best way to convince everyone that Biden is sharp as a tack is to argue over whether he turned to aides once or twice during a meeting. Totally reassuring.
Still, age remains a factor in the upcoming election, and only time will tell who voters choose. Biden is 81 years old, and former President Donald Trump is a few days shy of 78.
So, America, the choice is between a president who might nod off during a briefing and a former president who, let’s just say, keeps things… interesting. Grab your popcorn, folks. The 2024 election is shaping up to be a blockbuster.
