The First Lady recently revealed new details about the lengths she goes to in order to control Joe Biden and his infamous handlers, who are in charge of aggressively keeping the press away from him, cleaning up his rhetorical messes, and also working hard at limiting his public appearances in order to avoid any further embarrassing gaffes. The report from the New York Times detailed how the First Lady was filling in for her husband in key battleground races.
The East Wing under Dr. Biden, 71, who continued teaching as an English professor while serving as first lady, has completely merged with the political initiatives of the West Wing, according to Lauren A. Wright, a Princeton professor who has written extensively about political appearances by first ladies.
The political and seriousness of this function has increased. The White House’s strategic strategy and effort must include it.
She has been engaged in the appointment of Mr. Biden’s press team and other top staffers and is fiercely protective of him. When she feels they have not shielded him, she has been forthright: In January, after Mr. Biden gave a nearly two-hour press conference, members of his senior staff were recapping the appearance in the Treaty Room when the first lady showed in.
That was the infamous press conference where Joe Biden appeared to support a “minor incursion” into Ukraine by Russia, which was already making clear that they would do considerably more than that. This significantly scared Ukraine. In order to save Joe in that statement, his handlers had to intervene.
In a typical circumstance, a woman stepping in to defend and protect her elderly husband, making sure he is not abused or made to appear bad, is not a huge thing. It’s acceptable for female caregivers to regularly provide care for their husbands all around America.
But this is not a typical circumstance. As president of the United States, Joe Biden must project strength, show that he can communicate clearly, and show that he can make his own decisions. These traits are essential for success both at home and abroad, as well as with the country’s adversaries, who, while they may not always respect the president, do respect strength.
It does make sense that there are rumors that Democrats are putting “contingency plans” in place before 2024. Joe Biden is a man who doesn’t seem to be much in control anymore in any significant sense, whether it be in his words or in how he acts among other people. This begs the issue of just who or what group of individuals is actually taking the lead in his absence.
