AP Analysis: Documents probe dents Biden’s claims to competence

The Associated Press ^ | January 14, 2023 | By ZEKE MILLER

[Oldeconomybuyer]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Biden offered himself to Americans as a president they wouldn’t have to think about after the tumult of his predecessor. But an excruciating week of awkward disclosures and the appointment of a special counsel to investigate classified records found at his Delaware home and a former office dating to his time as vice president is beginning to strain his claim to competence.

The surprise revelations that on three different occasions Biden’s lawyers found improperly stored classified documents and official records evoked the turmoil surrounding Donald Trump’s presidency, a four-year ruckus from which Biden has tried to move the country past.

It’s an embarrassment to Biden, and the selection of a special counsel to investigate potential criminal wrongdoing in the matter exposes the president to a new, self-inflicted risk.

Further, it complicates the Justice Department’s calculus about whether to bring charges against Trump.

“The White House can’t let itself be seen as hiding information or be bled to death by investigators’ or others’ leaks,” said Adam Goldberg, who served as special associate counsel to President Bill Clinton.

If Biden’s White House needs to get its messaging back on track after a week of missteps and unforced errors, Trump’s issues go well beyond mere competence.

“On the political front, assuming the White House gets its communications right, I’m not worried about any political fallout,” said Goldberg. “With Trump, competency hasn’t been the issue, intentional misconduct has been. While Republicans will try to muddy this up, there’s just such a big difference between Biden discovering and disclosing these on his own and Trump’s obstruction and lying.”

[Gay State Conservative]

Competence? It dents his claims of respectability...his claims to be a law abiding citizen.

[Gay State Conservative]

Yes,it’s distinctly possible that this is Rat Party Headquarters’ way of preparing for his departure for “health reasons”. But keep in mind that the NY Times’ excuse,as they stated a few days ago,is the “frenetic last days” of his Vice Presidency.