Post cites Wall Street Journal pre-debate article about Biden's signs of slippage behind the scenes
Biden touts another VP possibly becoming president, vows to finish last 5 months of term strong
President Biden quipped that Kamala Harris would be among the "best presidents" who first served as vice president and promised to finish the rest of his five months in office strong.
The Washington Post editorial board admitted President Biden’s "inner circle worked to conceal his decline" on Tuesday in a piece celebrating Biden stepping down under intense party pressure last month.
Critics of President Biden had long suggested he wasn’t mentally fit to serve another term, but he sought re-election until Democratic leaders effectively forced him to step aside following a disastrous debate performance against former President Trump. Throughout the entire process, Biden and White House officials have insisted he was still sharp.
In a piece that largely fawned over Biden, the editorial board declared his "willingness to surrender power deserves special recognition" and added a tidbit that White House critics have long suspected.
Four paragraphs into the piece, the Post editorial board conceded: "The 81-year-old had shown signs of slipping for a long time, but his inner circle worked to conceal his decline."
President Joe Biden stands with Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and first lady Jill Biden during the first day of Democratic National Convention, Monday, Aug. 19, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
"He and the country would have been better off if Mr. Biden had kept his implied promise from the 2020 campaign to be a ‘transitional’ figure, perhaps by bowing out after the Democrats’ surprisingly good showing in the 2022 midterm elections," the editorial board added.
The Post even linked to the infamous Wall Street Journal report about Biden showing signs of slipping behind closed doors, which was largely dismissed by the mainstream media until the disastrous debate put fitness for office at the forefront.
The White House also exploded over the report and pressed Democrats to work the newspaper's reporters and insist on the president's mental fitness.
Left-wing Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin, a fanatic Biden and Democratic supporter, even fumed on June 9 that the Wall Street Journal article was "shoddy" and the president was still perfectly fit to lead; six weeks later, he was out of the race.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Washington Post senior reporter Aaron Blake wrote prior to the debate debacle that the WSJ piece "set off a new round of teeth-gnashing about coverage of President Biden’s age," and said Democrats have asked why Trump doesn’t face the same criticism for his advanced age.
The Washington Post editorial board appeared to admit President Biden’s "inner circle worked to conceal his decline" on Tuesday. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Following the debate, the mainstream media and high-profile Democrats quickly turned on Biden, with many openly calling for him to step aside. Conservatives watched as the same people who dismissed concerns before the debate suddenly wanted a new candidate to face Trump.
Once Biden ended his re-election bid, the Democratic Party quickly consolidated support behind Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him on the ticket.
Brian Flood is a media editor/reporter for FOX News Digital. Story tips can be sent to
