How Biden's Inner Circle Protected a Faltering President (NYT)

[dalton99a]

Last edited Sat Jan 18, 2025, 10:50 AM - Edit history (2)

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/17/us/politics/biden-age.html

https://archive.ph/qXgbp

How Biden’s Inner Circle Protected a Faltering President
“Your biggest issue is the perception of age,” Mike Donilon, the president’s longtime strategist, told him in 2022, according to people who heard him.
By Katie Rogers, Adam Entous, Maggie Haberman and Carl Hulse
Jan. 17, 2025 Updated 7:58 p.m. ET

...

Mr. Biden acknowledged the concerns, but the warnings only ignited his defiant, competitive streak. In April 2023, without convening his family or having long deliberations with aides, he announced he was running again.

Now, as President-elect Donald J. Trump heads back to the White House, demoralized Democrats debate what might have been had the president bowed out in time to let a younger generation run. Mr. Biden, 82, has at the same time made the extraordinary admission that he might not have made it through a second term. “Who knows what I’m going to be when I’m 86 years old?” he said in an interview with USA Today on Jan. 5.

The president’s acknowledgment has put a new spotlight on his family and inner circle, all of whom dismissed concerns from voters and Mr. Biden’s own party that he was too old for the job. And yet they recognized his physical frailty to a greater degree than they have publicly acknowledged. Then they cooperated, according to interviews with more than two dozen aides, allies, lawmakers and donors, to manage his decline.

They rearranged meetings to make sure Mr. Biden was in a better mood — a strategy one person close to him described as how aides should handle any president. At times, they delayed sharing information with him, including negative polling data, as they debated the best way to frame it. They surrounded him with aides when he walked from the White House to the waiting presidential helicopter on the South Lawn so that news cameras could not capture his awkward bearing.

...

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Zero mention of how the media enables and protects the demented felon and normalizes his fascism

[58Sunliner]

1. Yet somehow he managed to be one of the best presidents of our time.

[Baitball Blogger]

26. This isn't about Biden. This is about everyone who helped push him out, trying to legitmize what they did.

[58Sunliner]

38. It isn't about Biden?

[newdeal2]

2. No respect

I swear, even from the supposed liberal media like Colbert and Kimmel, they diminish his accomplishments and wisdom and harp on his age. With friends like these, we got what we deserved in November.

[arthritisR_US]

15. And I'm really worried how they are going to suck to him.

[spanone]

3. Our media loves the chaos. This is some hefty bullshit.

[lapfog_1]

4. I consider the NYT and the Washington Post to be part of the right wing

disinformation and propaganda network.

I don't believe a goddam thing they write... and we should treat them like other right wing propaganda outlets

[choie]

5. Three days before a fascist becomes president

and the NYT publishes a screed against Joe Biden. Fuckers.

[stopdiggin]

6. the Biden admin was aware of a 'perception of age' issue

The campaign and inner circle then worked to minimize or ameliorate that issue.
(as would be expected of any functioning competent organization?)

That about sum it up ??
(nothingburger spelled out over several pages)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[Silent Type]

7. Think it might have made a difference with a legitimate primary. But it just doesn't matter now.

Time to look to mid-terms.

[Fiddlelady11]

11. Not if there

Aren’t anymore elections. Also Musk has found a way to change votes.

[Silent Type]

37. There will be elections in 2026 and 2028, and Musk didn't change votes. We lost.

[ColinC]

8. Stupid fucking headline

[Judi Lynn]

18. Intentionally disrespectful. Loathesome.

Thank you.

[msongs]

9. login required nt

[littlemissmartypants]

13. If you'd like to have a look...

It's been archived five times.

For reference:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=19914984

Here's a link. No log in required.
https://archive.ph/qXgbp

Enjoy!
❤️ pants

[dalton99a]

23. +1. Archive link added

[Fiddlelady11]

10. This is such

Bullshit. As if tRump’s age isn’t an issue. NYT sucks again!

[FormerOstrich]

12. Fucking Hate THIS!!

I hear snide remarks about how the dems hid "covered up" the fact he had dementia, infirm, and incapable. I don't hear anyone countering it.

Then there is this BS. Just wait fools.....

makes me want to

[wnylib]

14. Agree. And why is this nonsense posted on DU?

Last edited Sat Jan 18, 2025, 04:00 AM - Edit history (1)

[comradebillyboy]

33. Because in his disastrous debate performance

Joe looked like death warmed over.

Although Trump was his usual incoherent self, he delivered his nonsense with great energy and comparative vigor.

[nuxvomica]

16. It's like how they managed FDR's image

To make him look not so wheelchair-bound. What did that subterfuge get us except the end of the Depression, defeating the Nazis, and more decent lives for the elderly.

[BeyondGeography]

17. K&R

Reality bites.

The President did many good things in his one and only term and had the chance to do the right thing after the midterms (which were about Dobbs, not him) and make way for a new nominee in 2024. The historical conversation about him could have been whether he or James Polk was the greatest one-term President in our nation’s history. Instead he will be dogged by stories like this for the rest of his life. And it’s his own fault.

[Martin Eden]

19. Joe Biden is a very accomplished president. He may have saved America by running in 2020

Last edited Sat Jan 18, 2025, 11:11 AM - Edit history (1)

But he may have doomed us by running in 2024.

I am sad for what this has done to his legacy, but I am devastated about what comes next.

[mopinko]

20. has nyt EVER printed that tsf wears a diaper and shits himself on public?

go fuck yourself nyt.

[William769]

21. Thank you for that

[William769]

22. Really disappointed in you.

[Kingofalldems]

24. Where is the unrec button?

How dare you post this shit in DU.

[Johonny]

25. Only the NYT thinks having a good cabinet

Is a bad thing.

Don't worry NYT there is no one protecting Trump. His inner circle are the voices in his head.

Piece of shit paper.

[tulipsandroses]

27. OK, we get it. Joe Biden is old. He walks slower, it happens when you get older. Now lets address trump's craziness

and immorality and criminal behavior.

I''ll take an elderly president who walks slow, but has good integrity over a treasonous one.

[ananda]

28. This is a fascist newspaper reporting.

Nuff said.

[FSogol]

29. Shit article from shit paper.

[malaise]

30. If

Your biggest issue is the perception of age,” then the raving lunatic Donvict could not have been elected

[bucolic_frolic]

31. But the Gipper didn't have dementia, amiright? /nt

[travelingthrulife]

32. Maggie Hagerman rears her ugly head again.

Sure they did, Maggie.

[bigtree]

34. utter bullshit

...we'll never see one of these reports from these people about the madman taking over next week and the way his detachment from reality has been exploited by criminals and dictators from Putin to Roger Stone.

[Seasider]

35. And Democrat leadership wonders why they keep losing elections they should be winning

They constantly worried about public perception and being liked. You think MAGA voters give a crap that Trump is constantly spewing crazed nursing home gibberish or doing weird stuff at his rallies? No, they'll vote for him even if he showed up as a taxidermied statue.

These so-called insiders think they're doing the smart thing by throwing Biden under the bus. 20 years from now, they're gonna look like idiots for throwing under the bus a President who accomplished a lot in is first term.

[Grins]

36. Admit it. They lied to us.

They lied to us. All those people knew how bad he was and said nothing. Did nothing. And after the debate from PURE HELL!!!, turned on those who saw the obvious.

THEY LIED TO US!!!!

[DemocracyWorks]

40. ok what's the mean spirited attack, this should get a hide.

[DemocracyWorks]

39. Yes he is over 80, he walks slower, he talks softer, and may forget things

I don't know who is that age 80 and is sharper than they was when they were younger.