So Biden is crashing and burning but somehow it’s the Republicans fault?
On Wednesday, aides to President Biden attempted to shift blame onto “MAGA Republicans” following a report questioning the 81-year-old president’s engagement and clarity during meetings. The Wall Street Journal’s critical report highlighted several recent instances where Biden appeared to mumble, misstate policies, or close his eyes for extended periods during interactions with members of Congress.
Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Biden’s re-election campaign manager, dismissed the claims as politically motivated, stating on a CNN press call, “It speaks volumes that the only ones spreading these false allegations are Trump’s MAGA Republicans in Congress.”
White House communications director Ben LaBolt also took to Twitter, vigorously defending Biden and retweeting critiques of the report. “Republicans are resorting to their election-year tactics that contradict their previous comments about [Biden],” LaBolt tweeted, referencing former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s past praise of Biden’s negotiation skills.
The Journal reported that Democratic lawmakers were prompted by the White House to reaffirm Biden’s capabilities, with Rep. Gregory Meeks, chair of the Queens Democratic Party, being one of those asked to contact the paper. Meeks noted, “They just, you know, said that I should give you a call back.”
Democratic leaders rallied to counter the article. Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island tweeted, “Anonymous Republican sources didn’t raise these issues in real-time. Doing so now seems like a political hit job.” Sen. Patty Murray of Washington echoed this sentiment, stating, “Everyone attacking @POTUS is a Republican with an agenda.” Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi also defended Biden, tweeting that the Journal ignored positive testimonies from Democrats in favor of Republican attacks.
Some reporters criticized Biden’s staff for their handling of the report, suggesting their defensive stance may have amplified the controversy. Jonathan Martin of Politico tweeted that portraying the report as a partisan attack was difficult when Democratic lawmakers acknowledged similar concerns.
Biden’s staff have previously noted that the president, who would be 86 at the end of a potential second term, occasionally loses focus during private and public conversations. Notable examples include recent fundraising events where he mistakenly referred to former leaders of France and Germany who left office decades ago, and a press conference where he confused the Egyptian president with the president of Mexico.
Additionally, special counsel Robert Hur concluded that although Biden mishandled classified documents, no jury would convict him due to his perceived senility. Biden recently invoked executive privilege over tapes of his interviews with Hur, fearing their potential use in Republican attack ads ahead of his re-election bid against former President Donald Trump.
Public concern about Biden’s mental fitness is reflected in polling. A March survey by The New York Times/Siena College revealed that 73% of registered voters believe Biden is “too old to be an effective president,” compared to 42% who felt the same about Trump.