Staff Reports
President Joe Biden’s recent disappearance from the public eye has led to a flurry of speculation and raised eyebrows all around Washington. After announcing his decision to bow out of the 2024 race, Biden has apparently decided that the best strategy for a leader in free fall is to hit the “invisible” button and see if anyone notices. Spoiler alert: they have. With allies scrambling to provide vague reassurances regarding his condition, the chorus calling for his resignation is growing louder—at this point, it’s nearly a rallying cry.
Congressman Eric Swalwell, a shining beacon of liberal loyalty from California, was recently interrogated by Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum about Biden’s current status, or lack thereof. The last public sighting of the President was boarding Air Force One, yawning into the sunset alongside mundane formality. In what can only be described as an election-year ghosting, Biden suddenly became as present as a witty punchline at a comedy roast, figuring it’s better to maintain radio silence than have to explain his own decisions.
Hey Eli, can you answer where the hell Joe is? Everyone wants to know. Did the SS blow it again and God Forbid something happened. There are a lot to rumors….(conspiracy theories) going around. pic.twitter.com/h9ROGQ3Mxc
— Desert Man (@dglwade) July 22, 2024
MacCallum pointed out the absurdity of the administration’s narrative, citing the lack of cabinet meetings and the scripted nature of those that did occur. The White House has quickly abandoned daily press briefings to instead favor a chat with the gals of “The View.” It’s a curious choice, particularly since the American people prefer their news without a side order of liberal hand-holding. When MacCallum pressed Swalwell on the weirdness of it all, his prattling response about “no controversies” felt like trying to sell ice water at a bonfire. He totally glossed over the spectacular disasters facing Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg—whose talents for managing train wrecks apparently do not extend to actual trains.
As Swalwell rambled on about Biden’s supposed successes, from infrastructure fixes to the CHIPS Act, one has to wonder if anyone else is getting dizzy trying to spin this circus of claims. Although applause-worthy in theory, these accomplishments seem overshadowed by the glaring issue of who’s in charge when the donuts are being served at cabinet meetings—especially if the donuts don’t make it to the meetings at all. MacCallum put the heat back on, asking why the American people aren’t hearing from their leader, a question that has turned into a national pastime at this point.
Meanwhile, the President has enjoyed a brief cameo through a phone call into a Kamala Harris rally. Future historians may one day credit that very moment as the apex of Biden’s administration: making himself scarce and then dialing it in. Given his recent health hiccup, with reports of him showing slight recovery post-COVID, one might assume he’d prefer a bosky retreat rather than deal with jarring questions from everyday Americans—especially considering there isn’t a strong track record of direct engagement. As Swalwell did a bit of verbal gymnastics to defend his absence, the calls for Biden to step down continue to echo, especially from Republicans like Sen. Steve Daines, who highlights the seriousness of having a competent Commander-in-Chief.
Daines’ statement serves as an unnerving reminder: the American populace is not a patient bunch when their leader is seemingly unable to effectively sway the important parts of the job. The crux of the matter rests in the undeniable fact that being President doesn’t come with a “pause” button, and evading engagement is not an option when one is tasked with leading the free world. Biden’s unconventional approach to leadership may very well result in a vacancy at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue if he remains out of sight and out of mind.
