New Book on Biden Reports a ‘Cover-Up’ About His Decline

Michael LaRosa, a seasoned political operative who served as press secretary to First Lady Jill Biden for years, has pulled back the curtain on the inner workings of the Biden administration, shedding light on how aides meticulously shielded President Joe Biden from press scrutiny, dismissed troubling polls, and navigated what some have branded a “cover-up” of his declining health. These revelations come as part of a broader reckoning in Washington, where the 2024 election fallout has sparked a fierce blame game—and LaRosa’s candid reflections offer a rare glimpse into the tension and tactics that defined Biden’s final campaign.

Michael LaRosa

For months, if not years, the Washington media seemed bewitched by an unspoken pact, reluctant to fully confront the evident signs of Joe Biden’s physical and mental decline. Whatever force—be it loyalty, fear, or inertia—kept that story under wraps, it has now shattered. The same journalists who once sidestepped the president’s faltering condition are now abuzz with anticipation for Original Sin, an upcoming book by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios’s Alex Thompson. Promising an “unflinching and explosive” dissection of Biden’s doomed reelection bid, the book vows to expose how the campaign pressed forward “despite evidence of his serious decline—amid desperate efforts to hide the extent of that deterioration.” The narrative has struck a nerve, amplifying whispers that aides engaged in a deliberate effort to obscure the truth from the public.

This shift has also sparked soul-searching among Biden’s former confidants, many of whom are now wrestling with their roles in the unfolding saga. In a recent interview with Puck’s Tara Palmeri, LaRosa—who departed the White House in 2022 after years as a trusted Biden family spokesperson—offered an unvarnished take on the so-called “cover-up” and the administration’s handling of the president’s image. 

Tara Palmeri: Michael, you spent years working closely with the Biden family, so you’ve got an insider’s view on all of this. I have to start with the big question: Original Sin claims there were “desperate efforts to hide the extent of [Biden’s] deterioration” during the 2024 campaign. Do you think that’s a fair characterization?

Michael LaRosa: "Look, there’s a lot in that framing that rings true to me, based on what I saw and know. But slapping the label “cover-up” on it feels a bit over-the-top—too dramatic, too conspiratorial. Let’s be real: every politician, honestly every person, tries to downplay their age or their weaknesses. It’s human nature. You see it all the time—people slap on makeup for TV, rehearse their lines to sound sharper, pick the right lighting. Biden’s team wasn’t inventing some grand conspiracy; they were managing a narrative, like any political operation does. That said, I won’t sugarcoat it: there were absolutely efforts to keep him away from unscripted moments with the press."