Democrat Knives Out Post Defeat For Joe Biden
A new book by Jake Tapper about former President Joe Biden and the cover up about his unfitness for office based on age has set the cat amongst the pigeons. Indeed, the heading now reads – Democrat knives out post defeat for Joe Biden. I can understand the frustration being felt by many Americans living under the Trump 2.0 regime. They are looking for someone to lay the blame at their feet for the victory of a convicted felon and celebrated liar. As an outside observer I was always struck by the selection of Biden by the Democratic party to take on Trump in the 2020 election. It seemed strange to me to choose such an old guy and wondered what the end game would be.
Joe Biden & The Defeat Of The Democrats In 2024
What I think Jake Tapper misses and so many Americans fail to see is that American society and the political system are totally in thrall to the cult of personality. Individualism is so powerful in the United States over community as a force driving the whole shebang. Political parties are weak in comparison to their leading personalities. They lack the group discipline to be able to achieve what is good for the party over what is in it for the individual at the top. Personal ambition outpaces community again and again. Joe Biden was obviously too old to be the President of the United States but there weren’t any people able to make that call effectively. The emphasis culturally on the successful individual and that cult of personality left all outside concerns in the shade. The decision to step aside by Biden was taken far too late and there was not a plan in place for the hand over. This contributed to the defeat of Kamala Harris in 2024.
Dissecting The Democratic Defeat In 2024 Post Biden
Defeats in the political arena, often, result in post-election dissections and analysis. Bitter reflections must be taken with a grain of salt in many instances. Jake Tapper admits this but clearly thinks that a cover up was in place at the very top of the Biden White House team. The addled performances of the former President were limited by drastically reducing his public exposure, according to Tapper. In retrospect, it was crazy to go forward with the plan to recontest for a second term but this was not up for discussion. The Biden decision to run again was made by him and his inner circle and delivered to the wider team as a fait accompli. On this basis, Democrat knives out post defeat for Joe Biden are entirely understandable. Personal ambition was put above what was best for the country. The failure of any body being in a position to independently evaluate whether Joe Biden was fit for office and another 4 years is a problem for America.
“CNN’s Jake Tapper calls his new book a tragedy. Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again, which Tapper co-authored with Axios’ Alex Thompson, describes two Joe Bidens.
“The first one is the one that everybody got to know during his vice presidency,” Tapper says. “And the second one was kind of a non-functioning Joe Biden. … And that non-functioning Biden would rear his head increasingly starting in, like, 2019, 2020. And then, as his term went on, more and more behind the scenes.” “
Denial Of Agedness At The Top
There are way too many aged politicians in Congress in the US. The celebration of the individual leaves little room for limitations and standards in American society in the political power sphere. Getting to the top of your profession is a wonderful thing but where is the clearly defined off ramp? Power and influence are persuasive forces and they are also addictively attractive. Old age is not clearly viewed by American society, especially at the elite level. Very few, it seems, have the Stoic insight to withdraw from public office when the time comes. Recognising when that time is, is a problem in itself. Thus, if the party is weak when measured against its leader’s proclivities, the nation has a problem. Not setting any limitations is a pervasive issue for wealthy and powerful individuals. Not knowing when the party is over is an all too common situation for many members of this exclusive club. Joe Biden did not know when to go and his closest advisors did not know how to tell him, it seems.
America’s Problem With Mirrors
Americans are not great at looking at mirrors and seeing an honest reflection of themselves. We are seeing it vividly with Donald Trump right now. The lies, dishonesty, and disinformation peddled by this regime are disgraceful. The doddering octogenarian Biden administration was difficult to comprehend for those of us looking on from afar. He was clearly too old for the role and his performances were degenerating before our eyes. 348 million Americans have been led by unfortunate leaders over the last decade. The political system has failed them of late. It has been bought and sold by oligarchs and billionaires over decades. Trump is appalling and a new low but things were not in great shape prior to this. Democrat knives out post defeat for Joe Biden is understandable within the framework of where the country now finds itself. The fall of America is not a happy place to behold.
“Individualism leads the way when it comes to the American character. 348 million individuals hell bent on achieving their unique goals and aspirations. Late 20C leaders like Ronald Reagan espousing the freedoms of the rugged individual in contrast to the perils of totalitarianism. Our leaders tell us stories and create narratives which idealise the thrust of their economic policies. American individualism came at a cost. “
Robert Sudha Hamilton is the author of America Matters: Pre-apocalyptic Posts & Essays in the Shadow of Trump.
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