The Wall Street Journal's recent exposé on President Joe Biden’s presidency is not just another story about political intrigue—it is a shocking revelation about the state of American leadership. The 3,800-word piece, meticulously detailed and deeply sourced, paints a grim picture of a presidency that was, from its inception, fundamentally compromised by the President’s deteriorating mental health.
This is not mere speculation or partisan rhetoric; the story tracks Biden’s decline from the summer of 2021 through the remainder of his term, offering an avalanche of anecdotes and accounts that depict a president who was, at best, intermittently capable of executing the duties of his office. The consequences of this revelation are staggering and raise profound questions about the transparency and accountability of those closest to the most powerful office in the world.
The Crux of the Scandal
From as early as spring 2021, just months into Biden’s presidency, reports of “good days” and “bad days” were already circulating among White House staff. Aides routinely rescheduled key meetings when Biden was unfit to participate, effectively sidelining the commander-in-chief in matters of national and international importance. This was not an isolated event but a consistent pattern, as recounted by multiple insiders.
The implications are devastating. The presidency is predicated on the ability of one elected individual to act as the ultimate decision-maker. Yet, Biden’s early and obvious cognitive struggles suggest that, for much of his term, this premise was a fiction. What the WSJ report exposes is not merely a failure of one man but a systematic effort by his advisers to obfuscate, deceive, and perpetuate a presidency that was, by any measure, untenable.
Echoes of History: The Wilson Parallel
The parallels to Edith Wilson’s management of her husband Woodrow Wilson’s presidency after his 1919 stroke are striking. Then, as now, the American public was kept in the dark about the true state of their leader’s health. Wilson’s incapacitation led to disastrous policy outcomes, including the failure to ratify the Treaty of Versailles, which fundamentally altered the course of global history.
Similarly, the Biden administration’s “semi-presidency,” as it now appears, has presided over one policy failure after another. From economic stagnation to a chaotic immigration crisis and questionable international engagements, the results speak for themselves. It is hard not to draw a direct line between these outcomes and a president who, by his own staff’s admission, often lacked the capacity to effectively lead.
A Deception of Historic Proportions
What makes this scandal uniquely revolting is not just Biden’s mental decline but the active conspiracy to hide it from the public. Advisors, cabinet members, and legislative allies colluded—either explicitly or implicitly—to maintain the façade of a functioning presidency. This was not done for Biden’s benefit but to protect their own power and agendas. The American people were lied to, repeatedly, about the most basic qualification for the presidency: the ability to serve.
This deception is not just a political scandal; it is a moral failing. It undermines the very concept of democratic governance, where the will of the people is exercised through a leader who is fully capable of executing their duties.
No Pity, No Excuses
It is tempting to feel sympathy for Joe Biden, an elderly man clearly struggling with the burdens of age and office. But such pity is misplaced. Biden chose to run for office, knowing full well the demands it would place upon him. More egregiously, he sought reelection, perpetuating the same cycle of deception. His complicity in this charade makes him culpable, not a victim.
The real victims are the American people, who have been subjected to a farcical presidency and the disastrous consequences of leadership by committee. Biden’s mental decline was not just a personal tragedy; it was a national crisis, one that his advisers sought to bury rather than confront.
A Call for Accountability
As the details of this scandal continue to emerge, the question now is whether there will be accountability. Will those who orchestrated this deception face consequences? Will the media, which enabled this by failing to investigate sooner, reckon with its role? Most importantly, will the American public demand better from those who seek to lead?
The WSJ report is a wake-up call, not just about Joe Biden but about the standards we set for our leaders and the systems that enable their failures. It is a reminder that the presidency is not a figurehead position; it is the most demanding job in the world, one that requires full transparency, competence, and integrity. Anything less is an insult to the democracy it is meant to serve.
