New Book Details Secret Wheelchair Drama During Joe Biden's Campaign
According to an Axios summary Tuesday adapted from the book, Biden's inner circle was alarmed at the incumbent's physical decline, which had become apparent in falls like the one he experienced at the Air Force Academy graduation in 2023.
His own doctor, Kevin O'Connor, had warned that if Biden fell again, a wheelchair could become necessary, 'Original Sin' noted, per Axios. The book, co-authored by Axios' Alex Thompson and CNN's Jake Tapper, comes out May 20.
The doctor clashed with Biden's handlers over the amount of 'rest time' allotted in his schedule, and he joked with them that 'they were trying to kill him, while he was trying to keep him alive,' Axios wrote from an excerpt.
Worries about a foot injury slowing his gait in 2020 had turned to more serious concerns about his spinal degeneration as the 2024 campaign wore on. According to the book report, the president's camp arranged for handrails up steps during appearances, encouraged him to wear sneakers more often, and choreographed his movements to mitigate mishaps.
Biden's orthopedic woes had been public knowledge for some time. A 2021 write-up from the president's doctor, released by the Biden administration, discussed Biden's 'stiffened gait,' which resulted partly from the foot injury as well as spinal arthritis.
Another book about the campaign, 'Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House,' revealed earlier that fluorescent tape laid out on a carpet served as 'bread crumbs' for Biden to follow at a reception hosted by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy last summer.
An unnamed Biden rep acknowledged Biden's 'physical changes' as he aged but told Axios, 'We are still waiting for someone, anyone, to point out where Joe Biden had to make a presidential decision or make a presidential address where he was unable to do his job because of mental decline. In fact, the evidence points to the opposite — he was a very effective president.'
But tension over the president's vigor extended beyond his mobility and mental acuity. His longevity came into question as well. Aides for Harris constructed a 'death-pool roster' of judges who could swear her in if he died, according to 'Fight.'
Biden's doddering debate against Donald Trump eventually led to his withdrawal from the presidential race and endorsement of Harris, who lost to Trump in the 2024 election.
The former president shocked observers recently when he said his late exit from the race wouldn't have mattered, suggesting Trump's victory was a fait accompli.
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