Biden recruits experienced Democratic strategist to protect his image
The Trump administration is currently looking into the possibility of releasing Biden’s interview with Robert Hur.
TroibNews 
Joe Biden is currently focused on managing his reputation by bringing on a seasoned campaign and communications strategist to enhance his legacy at a time when many in his party are urging him to step aside.
To signal his desire to remain publicly engaged, Biden's team has hired Chris Meagher, a former deputy press secretary for Biden and spokesperson for the Defense Department, to assist in navigating the initial 100 days of the Trump administration, according to several individuals familiar with the decision, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Meagher, who has previously worked with former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, played a crucial role in securing Biden's appearance on The View for his first live interview since former President Donald Trump’s inauguration, as reported by these sources.
This is a pivotal moment for Biden, who has faced significant criticism from Democrats for remaining in the presidential race longer than many expected last year.
At the same time, Biden is facing pressure from both sides: the Trump administration plans to unveil audio of Biden's interview with Robert Hur, the special counsel who looked into Biden's handling of classified documents and questioned his mental sharpness, as indicated in a PMG report on Wednesday. The release of the audio, which is still uncertain, has been a key demand from Trump's Republican allies seeking to undermine Biden's reputation. Although the transcripts were made public long ago, Biden's associates are concerned that the audio could be weaponized by Republicans to further damage his legacy, prompting the decision to bring Meagher on board.
Kelly Scully, the only spokesperson for Biden since his presidency, is approaching the end of her tenure as a government employee supporting Biden.
Biden's appearance on The View after the 100-day mark is particularly significant, as former presidents typically refrain from criticizing their predecessors during this period. This allows Biden to confront Trump more directly, as per sources familiar with the situation. The program has served as a platform for Biden during critical moments since 2007, including his first interview after launching his 2020 campaign and his September appearance, where he referred to Trump as a “loser.”
The live airing of Biden’s interview could either serve to clear his name or present challenges, potentially offering him a chance to counter criticism regarding his decline.
“If he’s doing these interviews and he’s having a lot of the same verbal gaffes, there should be a conversation if continuing to do interviews helps or hurts him,” stated Caitlin Legacki, a Democratic consultant. “But if Biden goes and does the interviews, we see a rested and relaxed and thoughtful Biden, that could play very well.”
The audio from the Hur interview remains a sensitive topic for Biden’s allies, especially following Hur's description of Biden as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.” Despite Hur’s conclusion last year that he would not pursue criminal charges against Biden, the former president asserted executive privilege to prevent the tapes' release. His administration warned that disclosure could dissuade witnesses from cooperating in high-profile investigations.
Biden has started to make a gradual return to the national spotlight with several appearances and speeches this spring.
In a recent BBC interview, Biden sharply criticized Trump’s administration, characterizing Trump’s suggestion that Ukraine concede territory to Russia as “modern-day appeasement” and expressed concerns over the potential fracturing of NATO.
“I found it sort of beneath America in the way that it took place,” Biden remarked regarding Trump’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office.
Biden also expressed confidence in his decision to withdraw from the 2024 campaign, dismissing suggestions that it harmed Kamala Harris's own presidential bid, asserting that it would have made no difference and describing Harris as a “good candidate” who was “fully-funded.”
This assessment of the 2024 race has not been well-received by some Democrats.
“There are a lot of young and dynamic leaders in the Democratic Party who are focused on the path forward, and it's better we focus on them, instead of an old man trying to convince himself and America he isn't responsible for Donald Trump's reelection,” remarked one Democratic operative, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Or as Matt Bennett of the center-left group Third Way stated, “I don’t think he’s reading the room at the moment.”
“I think the party, ultimately, will come around to the view that he did a good job as president, that he passed a lot of big things,” Bennett said. “But the horrible devastation we’re witnessing [with the Trump administration], which is undoing a lot of the good that he did and the anger and despair that Democrats feel, makes this an inauspicious moment for him to re-enter the debate.”
Biden seems unwilling to take a backseat. The decision to hire an outside communications aide typically follows a six-month period during which former presidents are provided a taxpayer-funded spokesperson limited by the Hatch Act's restrictions on political activity. By bringing Meagher on board earlier—while Scully remains until July 20—Biden may be positioned to engage more assertively in public discourse.
Ashley Eitenne, a Democratic strategist with experience advising Nancy Pelosi and both Barack Obama and Biden, characterized Biden’s forthcoming presence as a beneficial response to Trump’s influence in Washington.
“I celebrate Joe Biden leveraging his own platform and stature … to lift up and expose the truth about our current leadership and the dangers of where we’re headed, not just as a nation, but as a world,” she stated. “This is not a moment for anyone to shrink.”
Alongside concerns regarding the Hur audio and reflections on his presidency, Biden’s allies are also preparing for the launch of a new book by prominent journalists promising an “unflinching and explosive reckoning with one of the most fateful decisions in American political history.” This book aims to provide an insider perspective on Biden’s decision to run “despite evidence of his serious decline — amid desperate efforts to hide the extent of that deterioration,” as hinted in promotional material for *Original Sin*, authored by CNN's Jake Tapper and Axios's Alex Thompson, who has chosen not to comment.
Biden has other pressing responsibilities that an external communications advisor could assist with, including the development of his own book, and efforts to establish his library and foundation teams. “I know that Biden is the center of their universe but their book is not the center of ours,” noted an individual close to Biden.
However, the forthcoming release of Tapper and Thompson’s book presents an immediate concern for Biden. Early excerpts are anticipated next week, with a promotional campaign expected to last for several weeks. Last month, Meagher criticized the book during an event where Thompson accepted an award for his reporting covering the last tumultuous months of Biden’s administration.
Meagher, who joined Biden's team that same month, declined to comment on the matter.
“Not a great look hawking a book based on a false premise while accepting an award based on the same false premise,” Meagher posted on X on April 27. “Yes, Biden was old, but that’s a lot different than an allegation of mental decline that kept him from being able to do the job, which there is no evidence of.”
Mathilde Moreau for TROIB News
To signal his desire to remain publicly engaged, Biden's team has hired Chris Meagher, a former deputy press secretary for Biden and spokesperson for the Defense Department, to assist in navigating the initial 100 days of the Trump administration, according to several individuals familiar with the decision, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Meagher, who has previously worked with former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, played a crucial role in securing Biden's appearance on The View for his first live interview since former President Donald Trump’s inauguration, as reported by these sources.
This is a pivotal moment for Biden, who has faced significant criticism from Democrats for remaining in the presidential race longer than many expected last year.
At the same time, Biden is facing pressure from both sides: the Trump administration plans to unveil audio of Biden's interview with Robert Hur, the special counsel who looked into Biden's handling of classified documents and questioned his mental sharpness, as indicated in a PMG report on Wednesday. The release of the audio, which is still uncertain, has been a key demand from Trump's Republican allies seeking to undermine Biden's reputation. Although the transcripts were made public long ago, Biden's associates are concerned that the audio could be weaponized by Republicans to further damage his legacy, prompting the decision to bring Meagher on board.
Kelly Scully, the only spokesperson for Biden since his presidency, is approaching the end of her tenure as a government employee supporting Biden.
Biden's appearance on The View after the 100-day mark is particularly significant, as former presidents typically refrain from criticizing their predecessors during this period. This allows Biden to confront Trump more directly, as per sources familiar with the situation. The program has served as a platform for Biden during critical moments since 2007, including his first interview after launching his 2020 campaign and his September appearance, where he referred to Trump as a “loser.”
The live airing of Biden’s interview could either serve to clear his name or present challenges, potentially offering him a chance to counter criticism regarding his decline.
“If he’s doing these interviews and he’s having a lot of the same verbal gaffes, there should be a conversation if continuing to do interviews helps or hurts him,” stated Caitlin Legacki, a Democratic consultant. “But if Biden goes and does the interviews, we see a rested and relaxed and thoughtful Biden, that could play very well.”
The audio from the Hur interview remains a sensitive topic for Biden’s allies, especially following Hur's description of Biden as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.” Despite Hur’s conclusion last year that he would not pursue criminal charges against Biden, the former president asserted executive privilege to prevent the tapes' release. His administration warned that disclosure could dissuade witnesses from cooperating in high-profile investigations.
Biden has started to make a gradual return to the national spotlight with several appearances and speeches this spring.
In a recent BBC interview, Biden sharply criticized Trump’s administration, characterizing Trump’s suggestion that Ukraine concede territory to Russia as “modern-day appeasement” and expressed concerns over the potential fracturing of NATO.
“I found it sort of beneath America in the way that it took place,” Biden remarked regarding Trump’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office.
Biden also expressed confidence in his decision to withdraw from the 2024 campaign, dismissing suggestions that it harmed Kamala Harris's own presidential bid, asserting that it would have made no difference and describing Harris as a “good candidate” who was “fully-funded.”
This assessment of the 2024 race has not been well-received by some Democrats.
“There are a lot of young and dynamic leaders in the Democratic Party who are focused on the path forward, and it's better we focus on them, instead of an old man trying to convince himself and America he isn't responsible for Donald Trump's reelection,” remarked one Democratic operative, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Or as Matt Bennett of the center-left group Third Way stated, “I don’t think he’s reading the room at the moment.”
“I think the party, ultimately, will come around to the view that he did a good job as president, that he passed a lot of big things,” Bennett said. “But the horrible devastation we’re witnessing [with the Trump administration], which is undoing a lot of the good that he did and the anger and despair that Democrats feel, makes this an inauspicious moment for him to re-enter the debate.”
Biden seems unwilling to take a backseat. The decision to hire an outside communications aide typically follows a six-month period during which former presidents are provided a taxpayer-funded spokesperson limited by the Hatch Act's restrictions on political activity. By bringing Meagher on board earlier—while Scully remains until July 20—Biden may be positioned to engage more assertively in public discourse.
Ashley Eitenne, a Democratic strategist with experience advising Nancy Pelosi and both Barack Obama and Biden, characterized Biden’s forthcoming presence as a beneficial response to Trump’s influence in Washington.
“I celebrate Joe Biden leveraging his own platform and stature … to lift up and expose the truth about our current leadership and the dangers of where we’re headed, not just as a nation, but as a world,” she stated. “This is not a moment for anyone to shrink.”
Alongside concerns regarding the Hur audio and reflections on his presidency, Biden’s allies are also preparing for the launch of a new book by prominent journalists promising an “unflinching and explosive reckoning with one of the most fateful decisions in American political history.” This book aims to provide an insider perspective on Biden’s decision to run “despite evidence of his serious decline — amid desperate efforts to hide the extent of that deterioration,” as hinted in promotional material for *Original Sin*, authored by CNN's Jake Tapper and Axios's Alex Thompson, who has chosen not to comment.
Biden has other pressing responsibilities that an external communications advisor could assist with, including the development of his own book, and efforts to establish his library and foundation teams. “I know that Biden is the center of their universe but their book is not the center of ours,” noted an individual close to Biden.
However, the forthcoming release of Tapper and Thompson’s book presents an immediate concern for Biden. Early excerpts are anticipated next week, with a promotional campaign expected to last for several weeks. Last month, Meagher criticized the book during an event where Thompson accepted an award for his reporting covering the last tumultuous months of Biden’s administration.
Meagher, who joined Biden's team that same month, declined to comment on the matter.
“Not a great look hawking a book based on a false premise while accepting an award based on the same false premise,” Meagher posted on X on April 27. “Yes, Biden was old, but that’s a lot different than an allegation of mental decline that kept him from being able to do the job, which there is no evidence of.”
Mathilde Moreau for TROIB News
