Former President Joe Biden had a tough time shooting campaign videos and quick keynote addresses during the 2024 campaign due to his declining health, according to a new book. “Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again,” co-authored by journalists Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, revealed that Biden struggled so much during filming that the footage ended up being unusable. The book was released on Tuesday.
Campaign Video Mishaps
During one instance, Biden’s team attempted to film a video for campaign ads in a high school gym, aiming to simulate a town hall setting where people could ask questions. The book disclosed that the campaign had the full list of questions in advance, despite trying to create an appearance of spontaneous interaction with voters. However, Biden faced significant challenges and had trouble getting through the questions, leading to the decision to scrap the footage.
Keynote Address Struggles
Similarly, when groups requested a five-minute video address from Biden for keynote events, the White House often provided a shorter video due to Biden’s difficulties. The book noted that Biden frequently struggled to deliver a coherent message, often stumbling over his lines within just one or two minutes. According to the book, one individual involved in the effort mentioned, “The man could not speak,” highlighting Biden’s struggles to find words, remember his train of thought, and articulate his thoughts clearly.
