Former President Joe Biden’s campaign team reportedly decided against participating in a Super Bowl interview last year, partly influenced by a report from special advisor Robert Hur. Sources connected to the House Oversight Committee indicated that the report portrayed Biden as a “poor, poor older man with bad memories,” which contributed to the break from a long-standing tradition.
Nonetheless, a source close to Anita Dunn asserted that the decision to skip the Super Bowl interview was made prior to Hur’s report. On Thursday, Dan, sitting for a five-hour session with House investigators, claimed that committee chairman James Comer (R-KY.) had attempted to conceal evidence of Biden’s cognitive decline.
Interestingly, Dan expressed that he had never previously worried about Biden’s mental state. As investigations continue, he noted that there was a consensus within Biden’s inner circle to refrain from a cognitive test, believing it would offer no political advantage.
In the days following, Biden’s White House doctor, Kevin O’Connor, dismissed the cognitive test as “meaningless.” However, sources stated that Biden’s team remains confident in their ability to pass such a test, even if they view it as politically unbeneficial. Moreover, Dan mentioned that he was unaware of Biden’s long-term struggles until media reports surfaced in 2020.
Additionally, a longtime aide indicated that he stood to earn significant compensation should Biden win reelection. Amid this, Dunn criticized media narratives depicting Biden as simply old.
Historically, the pre-Super Bowl interview tradition began with former President George W. Bush, and has included former Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump, although Trump skipped the 2019 interview. Biden had participated in Super Bowl interviews in 2021 and 2022 but opted out in 2023 and 2024.
The concerns regarding Biden gained traction following the release of Hur’s report, dated February 8, 2024, just days before that year’s Super Bowl. Appointed by former Attorney General Merrick Garland, Hur investigated accusations that Biden mishandled classified documents, concluding that while there was evidence of impropriety, guilt could not be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Biden himself remarked in an interview that portraying him simply as a well-meaning, older individual would pose challenges in legal contexts. He acknowledged that convincing juries of culpability wouldn’t be easy.
Dan, who is the tenth former Biden administration official to testify before the Oversight Committee, defended Biden’s cognitive abilities during the interrogation. He affirmed that the president clarified that key decisions were made by him while his staff brought forward issues. Despite criticisms, Dan maintained his faith in Biden’s effectiveness as president.
Post-statement, a spokesman for the House Oversight Committee criticized Dan’s claims, suggesting that it was typical for Biden’s allies to dismiss concerns about his capabilities. They pointed out that, despite Biden’s assertions of being fully engaged, the perceived disconnect indicated a troubling pattern among his supporters.
