A ranking Democrat apologized to colleagues for “inadvertently” leaking against Joe Biden, a leak the lawmaker said originated from his or her office.
Damaging leaks to the establishment media appear to be commonplace since Biden’s infamous debate performance, as Democrats remain in a state of disarray in light of Biden’s vow to continue in the race.
Leaks are “creating a sense of uneasiness and distrust that did not exist before the debate,” Politico West Wing Playbook reported Tuesday.
Recent leaks to the establishment media include:
- Biden weighing dropping out of the race
- Biden’s nap schedule
- Staffers supporting Vice President Kamala Harris
- Aides attacking Biden’s character
- Former President Barack Obama raising concerns about Biden’s political viability
- Biden skipping a 2022 meeting with the German chancellor to sleep, sending Secretary of State Antony Blinken in his stead
- Obama reportedly working behind the scenes against Biden
It is unknown to which leak the apology pertained, but Axios reported the leak was from a “ranking Democrat” on Sunday:
- “‘I want to inform you that … my office was involved in one of the leaks that occurred during the ranking member meeting,’ the lawmaker wrote to their fellow Democratic committee leaders in a note obtained by Axios.
- “‘I feel incumbent to be forthright with you,’ the ranking member continued. ‘I realize that I am responsible for setting the tone in my office. I take full responsibility for the harm that was done … Full stop.'”
Democrats are feeling “paranoia and sensitivity” about Biden’s political viability, according to Axios, causing them to take extra precaution for House Democrats’ full caucus meeting on Tuesday morning. Though cell phones were not permitted in the meeting held at the DNC headquarters, leaks still occurred.
During the meeting, multiple members raised Vice President Kamala Harris’s name many times as a preferred candidate, PBS News’s Lisa Desjardins reported. The meeting had a sense of “sadness” about Biden and his candidacy, CNN’s Lauren Fox added.Leaks have “created a situation where most members are communicating directly with one of the top leaders rather than in a group,” another senior House Democrat told Axios. A third Democrat said leaks are preventing colleagues from speaking their minds about Biden’s political future. Group texts are no longer used, the lawmaker added.
Leaks are not only coming from congressional members or their staffers. They are also reportedly coming from disgruntled Biden campaign aides. Some campaign staffers blame their media allies for “cherry-picking quotes from dissatisfied junior staffers,” who allegedly do not reflect the broader campaign sentiment about Biden’s health, Playbook reported.
Wendell Husebo is a political reporter with Breitbart News and a former GOP War Room Analyst. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality. Follow Wendell on “X” @WendellHusebø or on Truth Social @WendellHusebo.
