Insiders expose Biden's handlers who were running White House in the shadows amid his cognitive decline
WASHINGTON, DC: While former president Joe Biden’s mental fitness faded behind the scenes, a tight-knit group of longtime loyalists quietly took the reins, effectively running America without him, according to a new tell-all book.
Dubbed the “politburo,” a term typically reserved for communist power cabals, the elite inner circle was made up of just five people, including former first lady Dr Jill Biden and sometimes even his scandal-ridden son Hunter Biden, according to CNN anchor Jake Tapper’s new book titled 'Original Sin'.
Mike Donilon, Steve Ricchetti, and Bruce Reed formed the core trio calling the shots behind closed doors, with former White House chief of staff Ron Klain and ex-presidential adviser Annie Tomasini occasionally looped in as well, the Daily Mail reported.
“Five people were running the country, and Joe Biden was at best a senior member of the board,” one anonymous source dished to authors Tapper and Alex Thompson.
“In practice, Bruce Reed was the real domestic policy adviser, Mike Donilon was the actual political director, Steve Ricchetti controlled Legislative Affairs, and Klain controlled a bit of everything,” they added.
They reportedly made massive policy calls, including major economic decisions, without even alerting Biden’s Cabinet.
“I’ve never seen a situation like this before, with so few people having so much power,” another insider marveled. “They would make huge economic decisions without calling [Treasury] Secretary Yellen.”
One handler could 'start a war,' while another was 'smarter' than Joe Biden, claims
Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson explained who exactly the shadow rulers of the West Wing were.
Mike Donilon had been Biden's brain for a decade, a trusted adviser dating back to the 1980s. He was seen as a “true believer” who had the president’s ear on just about everything.
“The president valued Mike Donilon’s advice so much that aides would later joke that if he wanted, he could get Biden to start a war,” the authors wrote.
Ron Klain, another decades-long Biden confidante, also held serious sway in both policy and messaging.
Biden reportedly loved to brag about him, telling staff, “Only one person here is smarter than me, and it’s Ron.”
According to the book, Biden "showed a particular deference to Klain even though his chief of staff was often more progressive. Biden had deep respect for Klain’s intellect.”
Then there was Steve Ricchetti, Biden’s longtime consigliere, who served as a counselor during the presidency and as chief of staff during Biden’s VP years under Barack Obama.
Apparently, Obama wasn’t thrilled with the group dynamic. The book claims he voiced concerns about “hangers-on” within Biden’s tight circle.
Jill and Hunter Biden wielded quiet power behind the scenes
The politburo wasn’t all political pros, either. According to 'Original Sin', Dr Jill Biden and her troubled stepson Hunter Biden were “prominent and permanent fixtures” in Biden’s decision-making process, even as his own aides grew increasingly alarmed about his decline.
“To understand Joe Biden’s deterioration, top aides told us, one has to know Hunter’s struggles,” the book claimed.
Tapper didn’t hold back when pressed on Hunter’s influence while promoting the book. “I think Hunter was driving the decision-making for the family in a way that people — he was almost like a chief of staff of the family," he explained.
But that didn’t mean he admired the former first son. “It’s bizarre because I think he is provably demonstrably unethical, sleazy, and prone to horrible decisions,” Tapper said.
“After his brother died, he cheated on his wife with his brother’s widow and then got her addicted to crack,” he noted.
“I don’t have a lot of personal regard for him, and just based on having nothing to do with,” he later said. “I barely have ever met him. I’ve met him like once or twice.”
Still, Hunter was treated as a quasi-power broker inside the Biden family bubble.
Congress wants answers, but Joe Biden’s team is blocking subpoenas
House Oversight Chair James Comer confirmed last week that he had tried to subpoena three senior White House aides, including Annie Tomasini, as part of his probe into Biden’s use of an autopen to sign official documents.
Comer accused the administration of stonewalling. “The Biden White House obstructed the Committee’s investigation and refused to make the aides available for depositions or interviews,” he said.
Tomasini, who had been close to Biden for years, became a lightning rod after her name came up in connection with some of the president’s more questionable practices.
