• Biden’s diminished capacities and cover-up shaped his final years in office and 2024 campaign decisions.
• A small, loyal inner circle held most power, limiting access to Biden and controlling information.
• Growing concerns from Democrats and allies only surfaced publicly after Biden’s poor debate performance.

A new book titled Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again will be released this Monday. Written by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, it exposes serious concerns about President Biden’s health and leadership in recent years. The book paints a dramatic picture of Biden’s struggles, his team’s efforts to hide them, and the impact on American politics.

Biden’s Mental Decline and the Hidden Truth Behind His Presidency

Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson’s book exposes serious concerns about President Biden’s health. The book tells a dramatic story, showing how Biden, once a strong leader, became frail and forgetful in his later years. Despite his obvious decline, Biden pushed to stay in office. The authors describe how his family and close aides created a protective myth around him. They treated him as if he were indestructible, even when signs of decline appeared. This story is about more than just one man—it reveals how power can blind people and how loyalty can hide hard truths.

Early Warning Signs Were Ignored for Years Before Biden Became President

The authors say Biden’s mental struggles started showing up as early as 2015. Many people who worked with him on Capitol Hill noticed his habit of telling long stories, making mistakes, or saying the wrong thing. They called it simply “Bidenness.” However, his condition got worse. Before he even won the presidency, people close to Biden saw serious signs. One Democrat said watching Biden prepare for a 2020 event felt like “watching Grandpa who shouldn’t be driving.” Once Biden took office, his staff began treating him like he needed constant care. The COVID-19 pandemic gave them a reason to limit his exposure to others. They built walls around him to protect and isolate him. Reporters, cabinet members, and lawmakers rarely saw the president. This created a tiny, powerful circle of people running the show behind the scenes.

A Small Group of Loyal Advisors Held Most of the Real Power

The book names five top Biden aides who controlled most decisions: Bruce Reed, Mike Donilon, Steve Ricchetti, Ron Klain, and Biden himself. Some insiders said Biden was more like a figurehead. One person described Biden as “a senior member of the board,” not the true leader. When people raised concerns about Biden’s behavior or health, the usual response was that everything was fine. Even staff members who saw Biden in person sometimes felt shocked but stayed quiet because others acted like nothing was wrong. The authors call this inner group the “Politburo,” highlighting how much power a few people held while the president’s condition worsened.

Concerns Grew When Biden Announced His Reelection Run

The alarm bells sounded louder after Biden broke his promise to serve only one term. He said he wanted to run again in 2024. In 2023, Congressman Mike Quigley traveled with Biden to Ireland. Quigley noticed Biden’s energy draining in front of large crowds. He said it reminded him of his own father’s final years. Minnesota Congressman Dean Phillips also saw Biden’s struggles. He watched Biden’s speaking and walking skills decline and worried if the president was fit for the job. Phillips pushed Democratic leaders to face the problem. When they ignored his concerns, he ran for president himself. But party leaders pushed him out, and Phillips later said the Democratic Party was “sleepwalking toward disaster.”

Even Some Loyal Supporters Urged Biden to Step Down After Poor Debate Performance

Hollywood mogul Ari Emanuel openly opposed Biden’s reelection. At a meeting, Emanuel shouted at Biden’s chief of staff, saying, “Joe Biden cannot run for reelection! He needs to drop out!” Still, many Democrats stayed loyal until Biden’s disastrous debate in June 2024. After that, more voices from Biden’s inner circle began calling on him to quit. Actor George Clooney wrote an opinion piece expressing his love for Biden but admitting, “the one battle he cannot win is the fight against time.” This shift showed how Biden’s condition had become impossible to ignore even by his friends.

The Book Argues That Biden’s Team Covered Up His Mental Decline

Tapper and Thompson argue the Biden family and his closest aides hid his mental decline from the public, the press, and even top Democrats. They call this hiding the “original sin” of the 2024 election. The authors say Biden’s decision to run again started a cover-up that kept the truth from voters. They accuse Biden’s inner circle of “gaslighting” Americans—making them believe he was fine when he was not. Many Democrats accepted this because they feared Trump even more. When allies raised doubts, they were dismissed. The book says this denial lasted until Biden’s debate made it impossible to ignore the truth.

Powerful Leaders and Their Circles Can Hide Serious Problems

The authors remind readers of Archibald Cox, the Watergate special prosecutor. Cox warned how great power corrupts and how those around powerful leaders depend on pleasing them. This creates a dangerous system where real problems stay hidden. However, Biden is not Nixon. He earned love and loyalty over decades. He served the country through hard times and personal tragedy. Still, this book shows how power and loyalty sometimes blind people from facing reality.

The Most Important Lesson Is to Stop Denying What We See

Original Sin is tough reading. It shows painful truths but delivers a vital warning. Political strategist David Plouffe says the key lesson is clear: no political party should deny what the public sees about their leaders. We don’t know if Trump would have lost if Biden had not run again. But moving forward, Americans must face the truth about their leaders’ health. Denial harms democracy. Transparency and honesty must come first.