In a stunning revelation shaking the political landscape, a new book has unveiled a deeply controversial narrative about the presidency of Joe Biden. Titled Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again, the book claims that the Biden administration was essentially governed not by the president himself, but by a close-knit group of insiders operating behind closed doors.
Co-authored by Axios journalist Alex Thompson and CNN anchor Jake Tapper, the book paints a disturbing portrait of a presidency increasingly detached from its elected leader, with day-to-day control ceded to what insiders dubbed “the Politburo.” This term, historically used to describe the executive committee of the Communist Party in the Soviet Union, signifies a group that was unelected, unaccountable to the public, and working largely in secret.
The release of the book coincided with a tragic personal development for the former president. Biden was recently diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer that has metastasized to his bones—a terminal condition that drew bipartisan sympathy, including from political rival and current President Donald Trump. The timing added emotional weight to the revelations, as the nation grappled with concerns about both Biden’s health and the integrity of his presidency.
The Emergence of the “Politburo”
The book’s central claim is that an elite inner circle managed virtually all aspects of Biden’s presidency, while the president himself played a diminishing role due to declining mental and physical health. “Some people within the administration called them the Politburo,” Thompson explained during an interview with PBS, emphasizing how this shadow group wielded power without accountability.
Among the key figures allegedly involved in this behind-the-scenes governance were former White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain, First Lady Jill Biden, and Hunter Biden, the president’s controversial son. None of these individuals held elected office, nor were they vetted or confirmed by the Senate, yet they were allegedly instrumental in making key decisions that affected national policy and foreign affairs.
According to Thompson, the Politburo operated under the assumption that it was necessary to protect the country from what they perceived as a far more dangerous alternative: a return of Donald Trump to the Oval Office.
The Cover-Up of Cognitive Decline
One of the most damning assertions in Original Sin is the claim that Biden’s mental decline was not only known internally, but actively concealed from the public. Tapper and Thompson allege that the president’s aides deliberately restricted access to him, shielding him from cabinet members, staffers, and reporters to prevent any exposure of his cognitive struggles.
Jake Tapper clarified that Biden was not entirely uninvolved or unaware, pushing back against caricatures of a completely incapacitated leader. “Joe Biden is not like—it’s not ‘Weekend at Bernie’s,’ right?” Tapper said, referencing the cult comedy about a dead man propped up to maintain appearances. Still, he admitted that Biden recognized the limitations imposed on him and was aware that staffers were intentionally keeping people at a distance.
These restrictions, the authors argue, formed a part of a broader, undemocratic effort to maintain control and preserve the illusion of normalcy. Speaking to Fox News Sunday host Shannon Bream, Thompson described this as “picking up the slack” for a president who could no longer meet the demands of the job.
Justifying the End by the Means
Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of the book is the ethical justification allegedly employed by the Politburo to continue this arrangement. According to Thompson, many in Biden’s inner circle believed they were acting in the nation’s best interest by protecting him and preserving his presidency. Their rationale? The belief that Donald Trump posed an existential threat to American democracy.
This fear, the authors argue, led to the rationalization of tactics that would normally be condemned as profoundly undemocratic. “If you think Trump is an existential threat, then almost anything becomes justified,” Thompson said. This mindset led to the concentration of executive power in the hands of a few unelected individuals, effectively short-circuiting the democratic process.
One passage from the book quotes an anonymous aide outlining the long-term strategy for a second Biden term: “He just had to win, and then he could disappear for four years.” The implication was that Biden’s visibility could be reduced to the occasional public appearance, while his handlers managed the levers of power behind the scenes. This strategy, if accurate, represents an unprecedented manipulation of public trust.
Fallout and Implications
The implications of the book’s allegations are both political and constitutional. If a small group of insiders was indeed controlling the presidency while the actual president played only a nominal role, it raises profound questions about the state of American democracy. The U.S. Constitution vests executive authority in the president, who is elected by the people and held accountable by voters and Congress. Any delegation of that power to unelected individuals—especially without transparency—strikes at the heart of the nation’s democratic principles.
In response to the book, several lawmakers have called for investigations into whether the American public was misled about the president’s health and capacity. Others have demanded reforms to ensure greater transparency and safeguards in cases where a president’s ability to govern comes into question.
Meanwhile, reactions to the book have predictably split along partisan lines. Critics of Biden have seized on the revelations as evidence of long-held suspicions, while his defenders have accused the authors of overreach and political sensationalism. Nonetheless, Original Sin has ignited a national debate not just about Biden’s presidency, but about the structural vulnerabilities in the executive branch that could allow such a situation to occur in the first place.
A Turning Point for Presidential Transparency?
Beyond the immediate political firestorm, Original Sin may mark a turning point in how Americans view presidential health, transparency, and governance. Questions that were once considered taboo—such as the cognitive fitness of aging presidents—are now front and center. With a growing number of elderly candidates vying for the highest office, including Trump himself, concerns about age and fitness are no longer partisan—they are structural.
The book’s allegations also raise pressing questions about the role of media, advisors, and political operatives in shaping public perception and managing power behind the scenes. At what point does “protecting the president” become subverting democracy?
As former President Biden faces the final chapter of his life, and as the 2024 election season evolves into a pivotal moment in American history, the revelations in Original Sin will undoubtedly continue to reverberate across Washington and beyond.
What remains to be seen is whether this moment will prompt lasting reforms—or whether it will be remembered as just another political scandal, soon overtaken by the next headline.
Conclusion:
While Original Sin presents a narrative suggesting that President Biden’s administration was effectively controlled by a select group of aides and family members due to his alleged cognitive decline, these claims are based on anonymous sources and have been met with both support and skepticism. Without concrete evidence or official confirmation, the assertions remain allegations. As with any politically charged topic, it’s essential to approach such claims critically, considering the sources and motivations behind them.
