So much has happened as the Democratic Party struggles to figure out what to do with Joe Biden. The campaign to dump the president is virtually over, as he’s refusing to drop out after a disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump on June 27. Is it the president talking or Jill or the inner circle that’s established a Gestapo-like grip on the White House? That’s one of the major stories that’s out there but is being drowned out by the tsunami of Democrat panic dominating the news cycle. From these reports, saying there’s a coup is not outlandish.
We have an unelected committee running the Biden administration, and they’re especially sensitive and cognizant of the leaks from White House staff. The word is out: if you deviate from the narrative about Biden’s health, they’re going to “beat the s**t” out of you; that’s a direct quote, too:
Weird one... CNN reports that a prominent Democrat has claimed Biden’s advisors have threatened White House staffers, saying they will “beat the shit out” of anyone who says anything about Biden’s health that runs contrary to their narrative. Full report: https://t.co/bKUXT4Vct4 pic.twitter.com/mlyvpNev2c
— m o d e r n i t y (@ModernityNews) July 12, 2024
This inner circle has also raised the eyebrows of Democrats, who see this as nothing more than an echo chamber comprised of longtime friends and family. Some of the names might sound familiar. There are reportedly secret police-like tactics being deployed, gauging the loyalty of the staff that Biden threw under the bus at the NATO presser (via Axios) [emphasis mine]:
There is concern among current and former Biden aides that the poobah’s shy away from telling POTUS things that could be hurtful.
— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) July 12, 2024
“None of them is known for delivering bad news," said one
“Too many of his top aides are his friends," said another
Another former aide said the… pic.twitter.com/MJoFnrNpGj
Current and former Biden aides are worried that the president is surrounded by a shrinking group of "yes" men and women who block negative information from getting to him.
Why it matters: Biden's already small inner circle has shrunk further since the June 27 debate that has jeopardized Biden's re-election campaign.
Democrats inside and outside the White House tell Axios they're worried that Biden isn't receiving a 360-degree view of his — and his party's — perilous political situation.
[…]
Driving the news: Since the debate, Biden is relying even more on longtime advisers Mike Donilon, Steve Ricchetti, and Bruce Reed — a trio sometimes referred to inside the White House as "the poobahs," "the grey hairs" and, less often, "the triumvirate."
The three are flush with the one currency that is most valued by Biden and his family members: loyalty. They are as close to family as staffers can get.
The White House now is being run by "the family and staff who are effectively family," a group that also includes the First Lady Jill Biden's top aide Anthony Bernal and deputy chief of staff Annie Tomasini, according to a person familiar with the West Wing power structure.
[…]
The five people in the inner circle are now in a separate category from advisers such as Anita Dunn, lawyer Bob Bauer, and Jeff Zients and Ron Klain — Biden's current and former chief of staff.
Bernal has become increasingly powerful in the West Wing and is seen internally as the "loyalty police," according to two people in the Biden orbit.
That has made some aides wary of presenting inconvenient facts to the president for fear of being labeled disloyal.
Current and former Biden aides say the "poobahs" often avoid conflicts with the president and enable his sometimes-meandering decision process.
Ricchetti and Donilon are the most involved in politics, while Reed, who is nearly always by Biden's side on the road, focuses on policy.
"Steve has been the closest aide to the president since (Biden) left the vice presidency," a person close to Biden's inner circle told Axios.
"None of them is known for delivering bad news," said one person in the Biden orbit.
Biden has decided to avoid reality and head into the bunker—literally. It explains his firm belief that the polls are wrong, that this race is a toss-up, and that he can beat Trump despite getting boat raced on live television. Currently, Donald Trump has a better path to 270 electoral votes than Biden—that’s a fact. There’s a lot of time to turn things around for Biden, but if the race remains close, that’s still not good for Democrats. A close race breaks for Trump regarding how the Electoral College breaks down. Biden must do much better in the national polls to get back on track, and with 75 percent of the country thinking he’s too old and cognitively impaired, with a 32 percent approval rating, that’s unlikely. And if Bernal and Annie sound familiar, they’re the crew that’s enveloped Biden in a cocoon that’s robbed the president of his independence:
.@Axios with a blaring 🚨 sentence this morning - Joe Biden has “lost all independence” according to a former WH staff member. Um, guys… pic.twitter.com/XcaHXnhknW
— Scott Jennings (@ScottJenningsKY) July 5, 2024
And now, threats of violence to keep the staff in line? Sounds like a Kim Joe un regime has taken residency at 1600 Penn. This behavior isn’t normal, and you can bet the mortgage that Lady Macbeth, Jill Biden, is leading the charge in keeping the White House in constant fear.
