Gerry Connolly

Friday

Aidan McLaughlin

Will the Democrats learn anything from the Biden decline cover-up?

As Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson kicked off the promo tour for Original Sin, their explosive new book exposing the far-reaching cover-up of Joe Biden’s decline during his final years in the White House, some tragic news broke regarding the former president’s health. Biden had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has already spread to his bones.  The revelation naturally generated sympathy. But it also gave rise to an argument that often accompanies tragedy in the lives of the powerful: that tough questions about their record should be shelved out of respect.

democrats
big, beautiful bill
Cockburn

How the Big, Beautiful Bill got through the House

At the start of the week, The Spectator wondered how on earth Speaker Mike Johnson would get the Big, Beautiful Bill through the House, in the face of unified Democratic party opposition and seemingly intractable divides on the GOP side. The answer, it turns out, involved copious amounts of alcohol, side deals, naps, late-night staff shifts and the Democratic gerontocracy. Congressman Gerry Connolly’s sudden death on Wednesday shocked Washington. It also proved to be a boon to Johnson’s math. The Speaker ended up with more wiggle room, because one Republican who failed to vote slept through the late-night final tally. After months of debate, the House passed the bill 215-214; it now heads to the Senate, which is poised to change it and send it back.

Wednesday

The Spectator

Hunter Biden rehabbed at White House Christmas

Last night’s White House Christmas party with digital creators resulted in a cacophony of posts from social media influencers praising Hunter Biden. The swath of pro-Hunter posts following President Joe Biden’s hugely unpopular pardon of his son gave the impression that the Democrats were keen to rehab his image and tamp down accusations of nepotism. “Just met Hunter Biden at the White House Holiday Party.” Majid Padellan, or “BrooklynDad_Defiant!,” posted to his 1.2 million followers on X. “Super nice guy.”“This one is dedicated to all my favorite meme-making trolls out there!” Joanne Carducci, or “JoJoFromJerz” wrote with a picture of her and Hunter Biden. “Merry Christmas!” She has almost a million followers on X.

hunter