Yes, one more thing.
There’s a new administration, meaning a new “head of state and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces”… a new President who is now “responsible for implementing and enforcing the laws written by Congress”…
And let me again say this; we will understandably have varied reactions; this is celebratory for some — difficult for others. Some will clap. Others will cringe. My guess is most of us are somewhere in between.
Friends, here at the Intramuralist, we will go forward as watchful observers, fearful of no topic, intentionally respectful of all. We look forward to all the conversations, even when the topic is challenging; such serves as zero excuse to sacrifice respect.
But before we move on to all that’s next, there’s one more thing that needs to be addressed from the election season we’ve left behind. And dare I suggest — being no political strategist nor election analyst nor fan of the three primary, one-time 2024 presidential candidates — this is an angle that clearly both elevated Trump and discredited his opposition, as it’s hard to believe all one says about one candidate is true, when a major claim about another candidate so clearly is not. Our observant eyes told us what the New York Times and others previously would not. We say this not with any pro-Trump/anti-Biden, anti-Trump/pro-Biden nor any anti/pro Harris avidity. We are making observations.
On Friday, January 17, 2024 — just 3 days from the end of Pres. Biden’s 4 year term — the Times published an article entitled “How Biden’s Inner Circle Protected a Faltering President.” The in-depth editorial shares how as the sitting President, Biden’s closest advisors knew he wasn’t ok for years. It wasn’t just age. It certainly wasn’t a speech impediment. There was something cognitively diminished and wrong.
As described by author Matt Margolis:
“A new report from the New York Times not only goes into detail about how aides adjusted his schedule to ensure he was in good spirits, limited his exposure to negative news, and shielded him from public scrutiny, surrounding him to shield him from view, even modifying his use of Air Force One’s steps to avoid highlighting his physical challenges, but tells us who in the inner circle masterminded the efforts to curate his public appearances, provide pre-scripted teleprompter responses for private events, and, of course, coordinate responses to negative media coverage. The story highlighted Biden’s family’s and inner circle’s efforts to manage growing concerns about his age and health, even as they publicly downplayed them.”
Straight from the New York Times…
The President was protected by a small group of people…
He used a teleprompter all the time… even for small fundraising events in donors’ homes…
Questions for him had to be submitted beforehand and pre-approved…
Concerns from voters were dismissed…
Talk of him being as sharp as always, better than ever, was all untrue.
The report’s bottom line was that Pres. Biden’s decline was covered up by those closest to him. It was intentional for years.
Friends, I have no desire to pour on the former President. What does cause me pause, though, is that the media no doubt knew this, and they only publicly acknowledged such 3 days from the end of his term. If the media is clearly only now admitting the cover up, what else will they hide or deceivingly report in the years to come? What else are they covering up now?
It’s why the media and more have lost credibility; it’s what has hurt their trustworthiness in what they say about other candidates. It’s also why we will continue to make thoughtful observations in far more than the four years to come.
Respectfully…
AR