Thrown in an election year already marked by voter apprehension regarding the president’s age and fitness for office, special counsel Robert Hur’s report became a legal triumph but a political quagmire for President Joe Biden, evident in the president’s palpable outrage on Thursday night.
The intensity of Biden’s reaction underscored a well-known truth within the White House – no subject is more likely to elicit the president’s fury than an affront to his family.
Therefore, it didn’t shock many insiders when Biden, visibly incensed, emerged to vehemently challenge various aspects of Hur’s report during a hastily arranged statement in the Diplomatic Reception Room.
Joe Biden (Credits: KION546)
This display of visceral anger, one of the most vivid public manifestations of Biden’s predominantly private hot temper, reflected the simmering sentiments that had been brewing within the White House for several days.
The frustration took root when the president’s legal team initially received a copy of Hur’s report, the culmination of the investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents.
Behind the scenes, Biden’s aides seethed at what they perceived as an entirely unjust portrayal, emphasizing that it bore little resemblance to the person they interact with on a daily basis.
Almost unanimously, the president’s aides employ terms like “sharp” and “tireless” to depict Biden, especially in his dealings with foreign conflicts or world leaders.
They recount instances of extensive late-night meetings, whirlwind global travel, and hour-long interactions with the public to illustrate a leader they claim hasn’t shown any signs of decline.
Democratic Rep. Daniel Goldman of New York, who spoke with Biden a day prior to his October 8 interview with Hur, asserted that the president was “sharper than anyone I’ve spoken to” regarding the evolving situation in the Middle East at that time.
According to Goldman, Biden demonstrated a remarkable mastery and command of a complex geopolitical scenario. However, he acknowledged that he couldn’t comment on the specifics of Biden’s interview with Hur, stating, “I don’t know what happened in there.”
