Biden's Handlers Cut His Feed Again

It was noted during Biden's visit to Boise yesterday that at the point where he began, "Can I ask you a question? . . . One of the things that, ah . . . I've been workin' on with some others . . . is . . ." his handlers cut his feed. By now, this isn't new. On one had, there was a story last week about how his handlers cringe and mute the volume on their own screens when the boss goes off script.

On the other, everyone who's had to put up with Uncle Ted knows this signals the start of a ponderous and rambling discourse that's meant to display in tedious detail what a genius he is. But once again, I disagree with the people who think this is a sign of mental decline. I knew Uncle Ted. He was like that all his life. The main thing that got him going that way was a few too many Old Fashioneds.

This actually reminds me of the story that went around during the 2020 campaign that began with the quote from Obama, "Don't underestimate Joe's ability to f*** things up". Farther down, you'd read:

While in office, young Obama aides are reported to have dismissed Biden, even 'eye-rolling' when the VP would begin speaking, while former members of the administrations have also treated Biden dismissively in their memoirs.

'In the Situation Room, Biden could be something of an unguided missile,' Ben Rhodes, Obama's former deputy national security adviser, wrote.

Former FBI Director James Comey also said that 'Obama would have a series of exchanges heading a conversation very clearly and crisply in Direction A. Then, at some point, Biden would jump in with, 'Can I ask something, Mr. President?'

'Obama would politely agree, but something in his expression suggested he knew full well that for the next five or 10 minutes we would all be heading in Direction Z,' Comey added.

It wouldn't surprise me that everyone who knows Biden recognizes "can I ask something?" as the signal that we're headed off for five or 10 minutes in Direction Z, and they cut his feed. Biden is Uncle Ted, and likely his morning pick-me-up gets him going that way.

But, er, can I ask something? We're told that the administration is in a make-or-break moment to push its legislative agenda past wavering Democrat senators, and Biden is key.

Biden assured Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that he was ready to push for filibuster reform. Biden’s pressure would aim to help Schumer convince moderate Democrats to support a carveout to the filibuster, a must for the party if it’s going to pass new voting protections without Republican votes. According to a source briefed on the White House’s position, Biden told Schumer: “Chuck, you tell me when you need me to start making phone calls.”

But Biden is Uncle Ted, not LBJ. LBJ wouild grab people physically, push his face up against theirs, and not let them go until they went along. Biden will make Zoom calls and ramble on about his son Beau. And he's always been this way. If he were senile, people might cooperate out of sympathy. Instead, he's Uncle Ted.

I don't see this having a good result. Obama knew his man.