Setting the Stage
It wasn't a surprise when we learned about the latest testimony release from the House Oversight Committee; it felt more like the confirmation of what Americans had long sensed.
Working inside the White House, staff understood that the man they placed before the camera couldn't lead the country, yet they said so privately while publicly denying it.
Writing at our sister site, Twitchy, Doug P. shared the testimony.
As Americans witnessed President Biden’s decline with their own eyes, Biden’s inner circle sought to deceive the public, conceal his condition, and take unauthorized executive actions using the autopen—actions that are now invalid.
House Oversight now has more on the lengths the Biden White House went to to deceive the public and cover up the fact that the president wasn't really running anything at all.
The staff knew the presidency had become nothing more than a managed performance: They moved him, dressed him, staged him, guided him, and fed him lines. The small group of people behind the charade treated the country as if it would accept the idea that everything looked normal, hoping the public would ignore the strings.
Charlie McCarthy in a Blue Suit
When reading Doug's piece, Charlie McCarthy popped into my head, a comparison that fits too cleanly to ignore. Edgar Bergen moved the dummy's mouth, while the audience pretended the dummy had life.
President Joe Biden played the same part — except not being made of wood — his speeches carried someone else's words. His answers reflected someone else's planning, standing while the real operation spoke through him.
There were some differences. As one example, Charlie never yelled at an audience for noticing the trick: Biden's team did. Anyone who pointed out the problems faces lectures about decency. Observers were told they lacked compassion, but the truth lacked compassion for no one.
The truth, put simply, exposed how carefully the White House covered up the decline.
The puppet didn't directly betray the country, but the people behind the curtain most certainly did.
There's another direct comparison from a recent Marvel movie: Iron Man 3: The Mandarin was the face of the group of bad guys who carried the power.
When the Mask Slipped
There were times when the act broke; the microphone cut out, a handler rushed forward, and reporters lost the chance to ask questions. The walk off the stage came fast, nearly frantic.
The White House treated every appearance like a fragile scene in a traveling show, hoping the dummy wouldn't trip on a sandbag during the final applause.
The motive was exposed during that last mad scramble. They weren't protecting a leader; they were defending themselves. If there were a functional brain involved, it would've taken back control, while a weakened one left them free to operate as an unseen executive brand.
The Moral Rot Beneath the Paint
Biden's decline didn't go unnoticed; like Waldo in a sea of dark coats, it stood in open view for anyone close enough to see the private moments that never reached the cameras.
Accounts from agents who worked near him described behavior that raised serious concerns, including an enduring temper that snapped without warning, and arrogance that pushed past normal boundaries. They also saw a pattern of uncomfortable conduct that created tension in rooms where professionalism mattered.
They saw him lean in far too close to young women at public events, fixating on their hair or shoulders in ways that sent a chill through the audience. Finally, they watched Biden shift toward them with an unsettling smoothness, always angling for proximity, while the cameras captured only the surface.
The administration didn't address any of Biden acting like a complete a**hat, responding by smothering the stories, accusing critics of overreacting, telling observers they misunderstood what they watched, and insisting that the public accept a soft image that no longer matched reality.
They managed the narrative instead of the behavior.
Character solidifies as we grow older: it doesn't polish itself; it only reveals what was there the entire time.
The Damage America Can Repair
The cover-up created two types of harm. One type can be fixed. Agencies that grew comfortable steering policy without accountability can be rebuilt. A leader who speaks for himself can reshape systems that grew lazy under a silent executive.
President Donald Trump understands the value of a chain of command and the importance of direct leadership. Trump's ability to reset expectations, because that part of the problem sits within his reach.
The Damage That Will Not Fade
The second type of harm doesn't fade quickly. Trust broke as the public watched the White House defend a story that everyone knew was false, waving off concerns and hiding behind rehearsed responses.
We live in a society that forgives mistakes when people own them and genuinely apologize. What we don't forgive is any deception spanning years.
The embarrassment of watching a weakened figure stumble while his handlers yelled at critics carved a mark into the national memory; a mark that Americans will carry for a long time.
Now, President Trump leads a country that still tries to shake off the humiliation of the staged presidency it survived.
The Puppet Masters
The public never hated Biden for aging; they hated the people who used him, wrote the lines, steered the decision, controlled access, hid the flaws, and attacked the truth tellers, while they propped up the performance because their agenda needed a quiet figurehead.
If you're still with me, you're probably irritated that I referred to Biden's handlers as "they," not just three or four times. In fact, I've used that word 24 times so far. I can't speak for you, but if some yahoo pulled that stunt in an article, it would tick me off. If I did, I do apologize.
Finally, Manney gets to the names. The suspects operating Biden as a dummy president include:
- Mike Donilon — longtime Biden adviser and senior advisor in the White House.
- Steve Ricchetti — longtime political operative and Counselor to the President under Biden.
- Bruce Reed — Deputy Chief of Staff (and, for a time, principal White House staffer), often described among the senior group directing policy behind the scenes.
- Ron Klain — served as White House Chief of Staff from 2021 to 2023; many reports place him among the principal decision-makers, especially early on.
- Neera Tanden — as Staff Secretary and Senior Adviser — handled domestic policy planning and information flow, giving her a role in shaping which ideas reached the president.
These people exploited a frail man to expand their power, treating the presidency as a production instead of a responsibility.
The puppet never asks for the show: The puppet masters do.
Final Thoughts
America can endure a slow leader. Despite the damage Biden's administration generated, our country remains strong enough to take some strong uppercuts to the face. But what it can't endure is a government that lies about it: Biden didn't collapse the trust of the American people; the people behind him, pulling the strings, did.
They gave the nation a performance instead of a president, offering a wooden smile when the country needed a steady hand.
The list of tasks Trump inherited extends beyond policy: It includes restoring the idea that the president speaks with his own voice.
Americans saw the wooden grin and strings, and won't forget who pulled them.
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