A former Barack Obama adviser condemned the Democratic Party for what he called a “massive cover-up” of former President Joe Biden‘s cognitive decline, following new revelations from an upcoming book that alleges top aides concealed the former president’s condition ahead of the 2024 election.
A new book, “Original Sin” by journalists Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, alleges that Biden’s inner circle was aware of his decline for months but kept it hidden from the public, Mediaite reported.
Throughout his 2024 re-election campaign, questions about Biden’s mental acuity persisted—concerns that intensified after his June debate performance against now-President Donald Trump. Less than a month later, Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris.
Appearing on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday, Van Jones described the concealment as “a crime against this republic,” saying it betrayed public trust and would leave a lasting stain on the Democratic Party.
“That wasn’t the first time he was in that condition,” he said. “The book makes it very, very clear there are people who knew and said nothing. And that is a crime against this republic. I think the Democrats are going to pay for a long time for being a part of what is now being revealed to be a massive cover-up.”
Jones was joined by former Obama strategist David Axelrod, who criticized Biden’s top aide Mike Donilon for fueling the belief that Biden could still win, calling that idea “preposterous.” Both emphasized that internal polling had shown Biden’s chances of re-election were bleak before the June debate.
The Democratic Party now faces internal turmoil and external backlash, with prominent voices like Jones warning that the fallout could impact future elections. The book’s release is set for Tuesday this week.
Originally published on Latin Times
