Klain Reveals Disturbing Insights on Biden Before Debate Disaster

WASHINGTON — A new book sheds light on former President Joe Biden‘s mental state leading up to a pivotal debate against Donald Trump that ended his 2024 campaign. Ron Klain, Biden’s former White House chief of staff, describes a troubling picture of the president’s focus and preparedness in author Chris Whipple‘s upcoming release, Uncharted: How Trump Beat Biden, Harris, and the Odds in the Wildest Campaign in History, set to hit bookstores on April 8.

According to Klain, Biden exhibited signs of confusion and exhaustion during critical debate prep sessions. He stated that the then-81-year-old president did not grasp Trump’s messaging or the context of the debates. Klain recounted Biden’s lack of engagement during preparations and that he even left a session to nap by the pool.

“He didn’t know what Trump had been saying and couldn’t grasp what the back and forth was,” Klain told Whipple. At one point, Biden suggested that looking perplexed during Trump’s responses would make voters view the former president unfavorably. Klain countered, advising Biden that such an appearance would only suggest he was confused, which was detrimental to their campaign.

Klain emphasized that Biden’s focus had shifted primarily to foreign leaders and NATO interactions rather than issues pertinent to American voters. “These guys say I’m doing a great job as president, so I must be a great president,” Klain recalled Biden saying, highlighting the president’s detachment from domestic political realities.

As the campaign progressed, Klain reflected on the alarming moments he witnessed during their meetings at Camp David. “I was startled. He’d never seen him so exhausted and out of it,” he told Whipple. Klain stated that during their mock debates, Biden struggled to articulate his plans beyond talking about his infrastructure initiatives.

“We sat around the table… [Biden] had answers on cards, and he was just extremely exhausted,” Klain recalled, noting how Biden seemed disengaged from the challenges at home. Klain also mentioned that Biden expressed reluctance to commit to specific campaign promises due to fears of political backlash.

In response to Biden’s dismal debate performance, Klain maintained hope that Biden should remain in the race, despite feeling it was a “nationally televised disaster.” However, Klain admitted he saw Biden as fatigued and out of touch, stating that domestic political leaders primarily care about issues at home, not opinions from international counterparts.

Biden ultimately bowed out of the 2024 race in July following renewed scrutiny of his performance and mental acuity. While Klain expressed his belief that Biden was still the right candidate to challenge Trump, underlying fears of Biden’s capability loomed large within the Democratic Party.

As a result, Vice President Kamala Harris emerged as a leading contender to fill the void, receiving substantial backing from senior Democratic figures despite facing her own challenges within the party.

Whipple’s book offers a deeper look into the dynamics at play during a chaotic election cycle, examining both Biden’s decline and Trump’s strategic triumph in what many viewed as an unprecedented political landscape.