Smith: A massive scandal

For the last three and a half years, Republicans have been sounding the alarm over President Joe Biden’s fitness for office. His incoherent speeches, disastrous policies, physical struggles, and blank stares are just a few of the signs we’ve seen. There is nothing wrong with getting old – it’s part of life. But it’s a completely different scenario when we’re talking about the president of the United States – the most powerful person in the world.

For years, congressional Democrats, the liberal elite, and the media claimed that Republicans’ concerns over Biden’s health were nothing more than conspiracy theories. Yet over the last month, they suddenly changed their tune. We saw Biden’s health become front page news. Congressional Democrats and the liberal elite all of a sudden found the courage to admit publicly that Biden’s cognitive issues are a serious cause for concern. But let’s be clear: The media, congressional Democrats, wealthy elites, and those inside the Biden administration – including Vice President Kamala Harris – have known all along that Biden is unfit for office. In fact, they were complicit in hiding this information from the American people.

In late June, White House aides told a D.C. publication that between 10am to 4pm, Biden is engaged with his job, but outside of that time range he is more likely to have verbal slipups and become tired. The job of running the country and protecting the security of American families is not a 10-4 responsibility. The simple fact is long hours and sleepless nights are part of the job for a commander in chief.

For years, our adversaries have been taking advantage of Biden’s physical and mental decline. There’s no doubt in my mind that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as Iran and its terror proxies’ attacks on Israel, would never have happened if the president of the United States was a tough, competent leader. It’s unacceptable that Washington Democrats refuse to admit what they – and the rest of the world – have known for years: Biden is absolutely unfit to be commander in chief.

In his Oval Office address on July 24, Biden announced that he will retire from public office at the completion of his first term. He claimed that he made this decision because it is time to “pass the torch to a new generation.” That’s complete hogwash and just another example of the hundreds of lies we’ve heard from this president over many years. Everyone knows he was forced into making this decision because of pressure by Washington Democrats and the wealthy elite.

It’s a massive scandal that Kamala Harris, Washington Democrats, the media, and the liberal elite have covered up Biden’s cognitive decline from the public. With everything going on here at home and abroad, including the worst economy in decades, an unprecedented crisis at the border (which Vice President Harris was explicitly tasked by Biden with fixing), and war in the Middle East, America needs a strong leader more than ever. It’s clear that we don’t have that in Biden. And it’s clear that Vice President Harris and the Democrat elites are all too willing to lie to the American people to maintain their grasp on power.

What Biden should have announced in his Oval Office address is that he will step down immediately, which is something that I have demanded. While replacing Biden with Harris – a radical California liberal – as president isn’t ideal, there is far too much at stake for our nation to be led by someone who cannot string a few sentences together or put in a full day’s work. I will continue pushing Biden to do what’s right and resign. But no matter what happens, I will never stop fighting for you, your family, and the nation that we love.

Jason Smith (R-MO) represents the eighth congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives.