Political Pundits Call To Stop Biden Attacks
Joe Biden’s health and Democrat party leadership under renewed scrutiny
Top Democrat strategist David Axelrod is calling on his party to tone down political attacks on former President Joe Biden after news broke Sunday that Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer.
Speaking on CNN, Axelrod advised that any further debate over Biden’s cognitive decline, age, or decision to run in 2024 should be “set aside” as the 82-year-old battles a serious medical condition.
“Those kinds of discussions are going to happen,” Axelrod said, “but they should be more muted and set aside for now as he’s struggling through this.”
Biden’s age and health now central to Democrat decline
The cancer diagnosis comes after routine medical testing revealed a “small nodule” on Biden’s prostate, which led to further evaluation and confirmation of an aggressive form of the disease. His office confirmed the findings on Sunday, sparking renewed concern about Biden’s ability to continue leading or campaigning.
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men, particularly those over 70. For many American families and senior voters, this news will feel familiar—but coming from a former president at such a turbulent political moment, it also raises serious questions.
Democrat infighting grows after Trump’s 2024 victory
Biden’s illness follows months of internal Democratic unrest after the party’s devastating loss to President Donald Trump last November. Biden dropped out of the race in July, just weeks after a widely panned debate performance against Trump that cast doubt on his mental sharpness.
Axelrod, a former senior advisor to President Barack Obama, was one of several Democrats who called for Biden to step aside early last year.
“There are certain immutable facts of life,” Axelrod said after the debate. “The president just doesn’t seem to come to grips with it. He’s not winning this race.”
When Biden finally stepped down, Vice President Kamala Harris assumed the nomination—but it was too little, too late. Trump’s message resonated with working-class Americans, seniors, and independent voters frustrated by soaring costs and perceived weakness abroad.
Books, leaks, and new claims spotlight Biden’s decline
Several new books and leaked reports have highlighted Biden’s physical and cognitive struggles throughout 2023. Insider accounts describe moments of confusion, fatigue, and tension within the West Wing as allies pushed for him to reconsider a second run.
Axelrod was blunt after Biden’s loss, blasting the idea that Biden could have beaten Trump had he stayed in the race.
“I saw a comment from a Biden staffer claiming Obama’s team pressured him to step aside in both 2016 and again recently—arguing he could have defeated Trump both times,” Axelrod remarked. “That claim is completely absurd.”
Health issues raise bigger questions for aging leaders
Though Axelrod expressed sympathy for Biden’s diagnosis, he also acknowledged the broader implications.
“It’s not shocking,” he said. “Prostate cancer is common among men his age. Most men, if they live long enough, deal with it. The good news is it appears manageable—but still, it’s jarring.”
As America prepares for another Trump term, Biden’s health saga raises real concerns about the future of leadership in Washington—and how aging leaders should handle power, responsibility, and legacy.
