It wasn't until Joe Biden's X account released a statement Sunday afternoon that some members of the president's staff found out he wouldn't be running for re-election, Politico. reported. But are we sure the post wasn't news to Joe either?
A few minutes before 2 p.m., the account of Biden X published an image of a letterhead announcing he would “withdraw” from the 2024 campaign. The note said Biden would “talk to the Nation later this week in more detail about my decision.” Half an hour later, a post offered his “full support and endorsement” for Vice President Kamala Harris to be the Democratic nominee.
Biden, who is reportedly battling a Covid infection, has yet to be seen alive, let alone hold a press conference. Your audience schedule states that he has been at his Rehoboth Beach home in Deleware since Thursday. Biden's latest Address in the nation was a week ago, after former president and Republican candidate Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt.
The only communication America has ostensibly received from the president about his big news is via a social media post. Of course, we all know that Biden isn't actually writing his own tweets. (And not just because they are coherent sentences.)
During last month's presidential debate, in which Biden showed his mental inability to govern the country right now, let alone convince Americans to let him stay in the White House for four more years, the account of Biden X made more than 20 posts. Obviously, Biden wasn't composing messages from the stage. No one was trying to hide the fact that an unnamed staffer was pressing “send” on every cheesy message as the president wilted at the debate podium.
But that begs the all-important question: Who was the one to send the Sunday afternoon ad? No one believes it was actually Joe. Sure, the letter included a signature, but coming from the office that probably has more signature stamps than any other executive in the country, you can decide what that's worth. Does Joe Biden even know he's no longer running for president?
Biden wasn't the one to break the news to his own cabinet on Sunday. Politician reported that Biden's chief of staff, Jeff Zients, “has handled much of the communication through an anxious administration, making calls Sunday afternoon with both the cabinet and senior White House staff.” Zients will also “conduct an all-staff call to the White House on Monday morning.” (Biden reportedly called Zients, Harris, his campaign chairman and other advisers.)
It's not like the announcement was made at 8:00 p.m., after the president had gone to bed. If Joe Biden is coherent enough to rule a world superpower for another six months, he can tell Americans his decision to their face. The last we heard from Biden, on camera, he clearly intended to remain the Democratic nominee.
Biden's X account post promised he would address the country “later this week” about the decision. Until it does, the country will be forced to wonder if it knows it was done.
Elle Purnell is the elections editor at The Federalist. Her work has been featured by Fox Business, RealClearPolitics, the Tampa Bay Times, and the Independent Women's Forum. He received his bachelor's degree in government from Patrick Henry College with a minor in journalism. Follow her on Twitter @_etreynolds.
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