Original Sin cover art

Original Sin

President Biden's decline, its cover-up, and his disastrous choice to run again

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Original Sin

By: Jake Tapper, Alex Thompson
Narrated by: Jake Tapper
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About this listen

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES AND #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

The damning inside story of Joe Biden's decline while in office – and the desperate attempts of his inner circle to hide it from the American people.

'Explosive'
Guardian
'Explosive' The Times
'Explosive'
Daily Mail
'Explosive'
Politico
'Explosive'
New York Times

Joe Biden, his family and his senior aides were convinced that only he could beat Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election. So convinced, in fact, that that they embarked upon a remarkable campaign of denial and gaslighting against the American public – lying to themselves, allies, the media and voters about his true condition.

Only now is the full, unsettling truth coming to light. Here, two of America’s best-respected political journalists take us behind closed doors to reveal the extent of Biden’s decline and who knew about it, from White House staffers to senators to Hollywood celebrities. They paint President Biden’s decision to run for re-election as shockingly narcissistic, delusional and reckless – and the wider cover-up as an act of unprecedented public deception.

The story the authors tell raises fundamental issues of accountability and responsibility that will endure for decades. In the name of defeating what they called an existential threat to democracy, Biden and his inner circle all but ensured it, denying the existence of health issues the nation had been watching for years. His decision to run again was the original sin of his presidency – the moment that led directly to Donald Trump’s return to power and all that has come since.

'How American voters became victims of one of the great political cover-ups of modern times . . . It was the gaslighting of a nation.' The Times

'A damning, step-by-step account of how the people closest to a stubborn, aging president enabled his quixotic resolve to run for a second term.' New York Times

'
The shocking truth of the last year of Biden’s presidency . . . Original Sin presents a scathing account of an elderly, egotistical president cocooned from reality.' Guardian

'Original Sin's simple assessment of the 2024 race is more compelling than anything else I’ve read about it . . . Extensive reporting and clear-eyed prose.' Washington Post

Corruption & Misconduct Elections & Political Process Politics & Activism Politics & Government Presidents & Heads of State Democrat
All stars
Most relevant
Well researched, very well written and compellingly narrated. Thought provoking, infuriating and insightful. Highly recommend this book.

Great read highly recommend

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Easy to consume, enjoyable to listen to, well sourced.
Scathing insight into a sad family, power hungry staff, shell shocked and disorganized Dems in a post Trump world. Pretty grim

Compelling well sourced drama

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The co-authors document carefully the ongoing decline of the United States – this is an account of elective dictatorship, group think, collective failure, the weakness of executive unity, the corruption of power and the astonishing inability for a Congress to act in the face of obvious impairment of the president. The politburo stand indicted of manifest self interest and take their share of blame in the neofascism that has come with the 47th president.

The definitive post mortem

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So biden showed mental decline from 2015 ... Those who hid it were not just the inner circle ... shows Obamma in a poor light too

Gob-smacking...

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Jake Tapper and that other guy did an excellent job at stringing the entire story together.

It was very entertaining, couldn’t stop listening - Seriously awful cover up.

The authors aggressively advertised the book for profit (uh huh, that's how it works) and got a lot of backlash for it.

However, the story needed to be told. The obvious cover up ultimately lead to Trump taking power.

The book ultimately shows how corrupt and untrustworthy both sides of the political isle really are, and why it led to doom. Nobody wants to hear that.

My condolences to the haters, who hate broken trust as much as cause & effect!



someone had to do it...

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I’m amazed at how the Democratic Party thought they could hide Biden’s decline, and by doing so gave the election to Trump on a platter.

Good research and interesting revelations

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Compelling. I have listened to this book, and I am now listening again. I can’t believe what happened isn’t a work of fiction.

Disbelief

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Original Sin is not just a political exposé — it is a sharply drawn record of an extraordinary chapter in American history. Through meticulous reporting and insider accounts, the book captures the behind-the-scenes unraveling of President Biden’s final campaign and the internal effort to shield the public from his visible decline.

As voters in a democratic society, the truths revealed in this book should serve as a wake-up call to us all — a reminder to stay informed, demand transparency, and hold leadership to account.

While some may debate its framing or timing, Original Sin lays bare the human costs of silence, loyalty, and political calculation at the highest level of power. It is a powerful chronicle of how one decision — to run again — became a turning point for a presidency, a party, and perhaps the republic itself.

Outstanding record for an extraordinary period of history

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enjoyed this book immensely. the hubris and selfishness of the Joe Biden circle of advisors shines through.

the affects and dangers of 'Group Think'

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The book relates everything we have already seen on Television or streamed we were all aware he had problems and it was obvious they were covering it up so nothing new...

NOTHING NEW

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