It's been fascinating and at times amusing to watch. The same mainstream media outlets — which propped up Joe Biden in 2020, allowed him to run for the highest office in the land from his basement, helped engage in an operation to block and debunk Hunter Biden's very real laptop from hell, and then repeated White House spin about inflation, Afghanistan and other crises — are now reporting on how much of a mess we've all known Biden always was.
The New York Times has twice in one week run pieces raking Biden over the coals for denying the existence of his young granddaughter in Arkansas and there have been numerous reports from mainstream outlets airing anonymous West Wing grievances over aides' inability to find prime times to schedule public events for the president who just isn't up to the rigors of a full day.
It's a far cry from the earlier mainstream reports seeking to cover for Biden's frequent gaffes (he's just so passionate!) and repetitious use of false stories (he's just trying to relate!). Still, the media have continued to try explaining away his comments such as "God save the Queen!"
Showing how even the mainstream media — which Biden has always griped about even when they generally provided uncritical, fawning coverage — might be growing inclined to shove him out to the retirement pasture, a blunt evaluation of Biden and how he treats White House aides popped up in Axios about angry Joe "Old Yeller" Biden.
In their report, Axios notes how Biden, in speeches, "likes to whisper to make a point" — but in private he's more of a yeller:
- Behind closed doors, Biden has such a quick-trigger temper that some aides try to avoid meeting alone with him. Some take a colleague, almost as a shield against a solo blast.
- The president's admonitions include: "God dammit, how the f**k don't you know this?!," "Don't f**king bullsh*t me!" and "Get the f**k out of here!" — according to current and former Biden aides who have witnessed and been on the receiving end of such outbursts.
Why it matters: The private eruptions paint a more complicated picture of Biden as a manager and president than his carefully cultivated image as a kindly uncle who loves Aviator sunglasses and ice cream.
Joe Biden: Battling for the "soul of America" one "don't f***king bulls**t me" at a time? Quite the strategy...
According to Axios, staff at any level are subject to Biden's profane beration. "No one is safe," Axios quoted one official as saying:
- He'll grill aides on topics until it's clear they don’t know the answer to a question — a routine that some see as meticulous and others call "stump the chump" or "stump the dummy."
- Being yelled at by the president has become an internal initiation ceremony in this White House, aides say — if Biden doesn't yell at you, it could be a sign he doesn't respect you.
Stockholm syndrome, anyone?
Unsurprisingly, Axios reported that "'[s]peaking Biden' is a particular skill" and it "can take years to learn to navigate his moodiness, and anticipate what information he's going to ask for in a briefing."
The knives are out for Biden, who more than deserves the sabotage.
— Nan Hayworth, M.D. (@NanHayworth) July 10, 2023
Gavin Newsom is reviewing drape measurements. https://t.co/XLNOJNWrq2