Staff Reports
In what can only be described as the most theatrical election cycle yet, the question of who’s really running the show at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is becoming harder to ignore. With President Joe Biden doing his best impression of a ghost and Vice President Kamala Harris stepping into the spotlight, Americans are left pondering whether they should send out a search party or just query which one of these folks is actually steering the ship.
Biden has seemingly vanished from the political stage, prompting wild speculation about whether he’s avoiding the limelight for mental acuity reasons, or if this is just a clever ruse to let Harris bask in her moment against former President Donald Trump, the GOP nominee. Historically, sitting presidents occasionally choose to go MIA, either due to health reasons or because they’re not seeking reelection, but Biden’s low profile raises more than a few eyebrows as he sits back while the world around him simmers with crises.
Joe Biden has no public events scheduled for Monday, and his calendar for the rest of the week is currently blank.
Where is Joe Biden? pic.twitter.com/8ZHrZo5nIx
— Shadow of Ezra (@ShadowofEzra) July 22, 2024
The history of absent presidents isn’t new. Woodrow Wilson is the classic example after he suffered a debilitating stroke during his second term, leaving his wife to run the country—at least that’s what historians hinting at a similar situation today might suggest. Comparing Biden to past leaders reveals echoes of Reagan’s struggle with Alzheimer’s that some staffers believe may have begun while he was still in office. But we can’t help but wonder if the current administration is evoking history simply to hide the fact that their man isn’t up to the task.
What’s more troubling is the growing notion that Biden’s exit from the race was less about stepping aside graciously, and more about him being gently urged to pack it in before he could cause further embarrassment for the party. Lyndon B. Johnson’s retreat from the 1968 election amid protests and plummeting approval ratings suggests the Democrats have a long history of knowing when their candidates are out of touch with the public. Is Biden’s retreat a strategic move mirroring this playbook, or is it just a need for an extended nap?
The 25th Amendment has become a talking point of late, as many wonder if there is an unspoken urgency among the brass to activate it. For a president who’’s taken fewer public appearances than a secretive cat at an adoption fair, the amendment provides a clear guideline for dealing with incapacitation. It begs the query: if Biden is unable to perform his duties, who’s cupboard is really being looked after when the scary global situations arise?
With American involvement in Ukraine, intense conflict in the Middle East, and hurricanes wreaking havoc on southern states, one must wonder: why, oh why, isn’t the president on the frontlines? Is he mentally checked out, taking extended coffee breaks while the Vice President handles the press scrums? This election cycle has enough drama to fill a cable news channel, and it’s time for voters to crank up the scrutiny and discover just who’s really calling the shots in this unorthodox election year.
