Staff ReportsThe nation teetered on the edge of a government shutdown over the Christmas season, and once again, President Joe Biden was nowhere to be seen. Instead of taking charge during the chaos of failed budget proposals, the putative leader preferred to play hide and seek, leaving everyone wondering just where he was as lawmakers scrambled to avoid a fiscal cliff. The absence of decisive leadership from the White House was glaring, with no real explanation for Biden’s conspicuous disengagement.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre jumped into the spotlight like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat, though in this case, the tricks had more to do with deflecting blame than providing answers. When pressed about Biden’s absence, she had a well-rehearsed routine: blame the Republicans. You could almost hear the crickets chirping as Jean-Pierre dodged inquiries about why the president was missing in action, instead opting to redirect the conversation towards House Republicans, Speaker Mike Johnson, and even President-elect Donald Trump, casually mentioning his “billionaire friends” as if they were the puppet masters controlling the GOP.
Biden is AWOL 👴🏻
No one seems to be looking to President Biden for answers and he's given no indication he has any desire to provide them. https://t.co/gEuiR85VVb
— Georgia Log Cabin (@GeorgiaLogCabin) December 21, 2024
Biden’s Friday performance—or lack thereof—was nothing short of theatrical, showcasing the art of avoiding responsibility while pointing fingers. Jean-Pierre claimed that the president was busy having private pow-wows with Democratic leaders and insisted that his team was hard at work communicating with members from both sides of the aisle. One can almost picture Biden tucked away in a secret bunker, receiving “regular updates,” like some sort of military general too exhausted to face the battlefield of American politics.
The drama took a turn as the proposed spending bills stumbled and fell like so many festive ornaments knocked from the tree. After a bloated initial proposal was scrapped, a trimmed-down version met a similar fate, leaving the House with only hours to avert the impending shutdown. In a plot twist that could make even Hollywood jealous, an even slimmer budget proposal was presented, and remarkably, it passed both the House and Senate just in time. Biden finally emerged from the shadows to sign the bill with gusto, claiming it was a “bipartisan funding bill” and delighting in the relief it would supposedly bring to hard-working Americans during the holidays.
However, not all stars shine in the same light. Biden’s extended absence coincided with mounting scrutiny over his mental acuity, as reports filtered out about the way his aides have worked tirelessly to shield the public from the reality of a diminished president. According to a recent exposé, this administration’s attempts to hide Biden’s frailties have become increasingly difficult, raising serious questions about whether he ever truly possessed the stamina required for the presidency. The Wall Street Journal’s reporting affirmed what many have suspected: the emperor has no clothes, and they’re doing their best to ensure he remains out of the public eye as much as possible.
As the holiday season unfolds, one thing is certain: while the government may be operating smoothly—at least on paper—Americans are left wondering if their president can keep it that way. The future of a once-great nation rests precariously not just on spending bills, but on the shoulders of a leader absent from the very crises that define his presidency.
