Inside the Secret Plan to Wheel Biden Through a Second Term

New book exposes tense debates, quiet medical warnings, and the high-stakes gamble to shield Biden’s physical decline from voters

In a shocking revelation poised to shake Democratic circles, a new book by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios’ Alex Thompson claims that top aides to President Joe Biden quietly floated the idea of using a wheelchair—but only after the 2024 election.

The bombshell is detailed in Original Sin, out May 20, and paints a picture of a tight-knit political team walking a razor’s edge between protecting their candidate and masking his deterioration.

“One Bad Fall Away”

The concern wasn’t just political—it was medical. Biden’s personal physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, allegedly warned that the president was “one bad fall away” from needing a wheelchair. That wasn’t hyperbole. Biden’s balance issues, attributed to spinal arthritis and lingering foot trauma, had become increasingly visible. His aides were alarmed after his now-infamous fall over a sandbag at the Air Force Academy in June 2023.

“The don’t-let-him-trip mission kicked into high gear after that,” an insider told Axios.

That mission reportedly included customized footwear, abbreviated walking paths, and rerouted entries into Air Force One to minimize risk and visibility.

Behind closed doors, Biden’s team debated a post-election pivot to a wheelchair. The idea: win first, manage the optics later.

Aides vs. Doctor: Who’s Protecting Whom?

Dr. O’Connor reportedly clashed with senior advisers over Biden’s schedule, pushing for more rest and joking grimly that “while I try to keep him alive, they’re trying to kill him.”

The physician wasn’t exaggerating. According to the book, Biden’s mobility had deteriorated to the point where aides feared another fall could be catastrophic—not just for his body, but for his presidency.

Campaign Over Care?

Despite mounting concerns, Biden’s inner circle pressed ahead with the reelection campaign. Tapper and Thompson argue that fear of a Trump return—and loyalty to Biden—clouded the team’s judgment.

“They let their self-interest and fear of another Trump term justify trying to put an at times addled old man in the Oval Office for four more years,” they write.

Some Democratic operatives now say that decision may have cost the party dearly.

The Debate That Changed Everything

That internal gamble unraveled during the June 2024 debate against Donald Trump. Biden’s halting delivery and confused answers weren’t just bad optics—they were confirmation, for many, of what insiders had feared for months.

“That debate flipped the entire campaign on its head,” one Democratic strategist told us. “We stopped talking about Trump and started defending Joe’s fitness.”

Even CNN’s Tapper, who had defended Biden from “cheap shots” in 2020, admitted in the book that Democratic elites were “late to acknowledge” legitimate concerns.

Media, Culpability, and a Confession

Original Sin doesn’t just point fingers at the White House—it calls out the media, too.

At this year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner, co-author Alex Thompson openly acknowledged a media failure.

“We—myself included—missed a lot of this story,” he said, accepting an award for coverage of Biden’s decline. “And some people trust us less because of it.”

His candor hit a nerve. Elon Musk blasted Tapper online, calling him a “hypocrite” for not airing these concerns earlier on CNN while now profiting off them in print.

White House Response: Aging, Not Inability

The Biden camp isn’t taking the criticism quietly.

“Yes, there were physical changes as he got older,” a spokesperson said. “But evidence of aging is not evidence of mental incapacity.”

“So far, we are still waiting for anyone to show us a single decision he couldn’t make because of mental decline. In fact, the evidence shows he’s been a very effective president.”

That defense may resonate with loyal Democrats—but it’s unlikely to quiet growing frustration among younger progressives and party operatives bracing for 2028.

A Silent Crisis, Loud Consequences

The underlying question lingers: how close did we come to a second term managed from a wheelchair—and why wasn’t the country told?

Thompson and Tapper’s Original Sin doesn’t just expose a fraught political cover-up. It issues a warning—to Democrats, to the media, and to voters: transparency matters, especially when democracy is on the line.