A senior aide for former President Joe Biden has revealed that the administration was “gaslighting” Americans by dismissing concerns about the 81-year-old president’s age and ability. Michael LaRosa, a former White House aide and press secretary for first lady Jill Biden, admitted that the campaign was aware of Biden’s age as an issue from the beginning. He mentioned that the campaign was scared of letting Biden do off-the-cuff interviews due to fears of exposing his age-related limitations.
Despite facing negative polls and concerns about his verbal gaffes, moments of confusion, and physical stumbles suggesting cognitive decline, the White House insisted that Biden was in good health. LaRosa revealed that behind the scenes, the Biden campaign was apprehensive about letting Biden go off-script, as they were unsure of how he would handle impromptu situations. The campaign was concerned that Biden, who enjoys being in front of the media, might not handle unscripted interactions well, leading to a lack of trust in their own candidate.
The mounting pressure over Biden’s mental decline and dismal polling eventually led him to withdraw from the 2024 race and endorse his then-vice president Kamala Harris. LaRosa made these revelations when questioned by Tara Palmeri, a journalist with Puck, about a new book co-authored by CNN’s Jake Tapper detailing a “cover-up” of Biden’s mental decline by the administration and its allies. Tapper, who had dismissed concerns about Biden’s age during the campaign, has faced criticism on social media for his previous stance.
LaRosa’s comments shed light on the lengths to which the Biden administration went to cover up concerns about the president’s age and cognitive abilities. The revelation that the campaign was aware of these issues from the start suggests that there was a deliberate effort to downplay and dismiss any signs of advanced aging and decline in Biden’s mental faculties. The campaign’s reluctance to let Biden engage in unscripted interviews and interactions out of fear of exposing his limitations further highlights the challenges faced by a candidate with advanced age in a high-pressure political environment.
The admission that the administration engaged in “gaslighting” the public about Biden’s age raises questions about the transparency and honesty of political campaigns in addressing concerns about a candidate’s health and capabilities. The revelation that the president’s team was unwilling to take risks with unscripted moments and lacked trust in their own candidate also raises broader issues about candidate selection and campaign strategies. Ultimately, Biden’s decision to withdraw from the race and endorse Harris speaks to the challenges faced by aging political figures in maintaining their public image and competency in today’s media-driven landscape.
