Tue May 13 16:40:00 UTC 2025: **NEWS ARTICLE:**
**Book Alleges Biden Aides Considered Wheelchair Use Amid Concerns Over Physical Decline**
**WASHINGTON** – Former President Joe Biden’s physical health was a subject of intense internal debate within his administration, with aides reportedly considering the possibility of using a wheelchair during a potential second term, according to a forthcoming book. “Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again,” by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios’ Alex Thompson, details private discussions amongst Biden’s team regarding his apparent physical deterioration.
Based on over 200 interviews, primarily with Democratic insiders conducted after the 2024 election, the book claims that Biden’s team believed a wheelchair would be politically damaging during his reelection campaign. However, they allegedly acknowledged it might become necessary if he won a second term. The book highlights Biden’s “halting walk” as a key concern.
According to the authors, Biden’s personal physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, privately warned that a significant fall could necessitate a wheelchair for recovery. The book also details efforts to accommodate Biden’s physical limitations, including shortened walking routes, added handrails, and the use of smaller staircases for Air Force One.
The authors report that, his team’s effort to protect him during his reelection bid, Biden started forgetting names, staring blankly at people he’d known for well over a decade, and became more disoriented and incoherent when he was fatigued
Biden ultimately dropped out of the race three weeks after a widely criticized debate performance against Donald Trump in June 2024.
In response to the book’s claims, a Biden spokesperson stated that his medical exam revealed a “stiffened gait” due to spinal wear and tear, but that “no special treatment was necessary and that it had not worsened.” The spokesperson further asserted that evidence of aging does not equate to mental incapacity, and that Biden remained an “effective president.”
Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, have previously defended his performance, dismissing claims of cognitive decline. “The people who wrote those books were not in the White House with us, and they didn’t see how hard Joe worked every single day,” Jill Biden stated in an interview.
“Original Sin” is set to be released on May 20th. The allegations within are likely to fuel further debate about the health and fitness of political leaders, particularly in the context of an aging electorate and leadership.
First Piper 