A new book reveals tensions among top Democrats as concerns about President Joe Biden’s age and reelection bid escalate.

Klain Rebukes Axelrod Over Biden Concerns

President Joe Biden’s decision to seek a second term has reignited longstanding concerns among Democratic strategists about his age and capacity to serve. According to a new book by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios reporter Alex Thompson, Biden’s former Chief of Staff Ron Klain privately chastised David Axelrod, a key architect of Barack Obama’s campaigns, for publicly raising the issue in 2022.

In an interview with The New York Times, Axelrod warned that Biden would be closer to 90 than 80 by the end of a second term, calling it a major political liability. Shortly after the article was published, Klain called Axelrod directly and, according to the book, strongly defended Biden’s candidacy. "Who's going to beat Trump? President Biden is the only one who has done it," Klain reportedly said, adding that critics should have "a lot of certainty" before suggesting an alternative.

Klain dismissed concerns about Biden’s age as "sloppy thinking" and maintained that no other Democrat had demonstrated the electability Biden showed in 2020. But Axelrod’s reservations persisted, rooted in both personal observations and polling data from key battleground states.

Axelrod’s Private Warnings and Public Statements

The book, titled Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again, recounts Axelrod’s evolving doubts. After a visit to Biden’s rental home in Virginia in 2018, Axelrod was reportedly shocked by how much Biden had aged. Though he encouraged Biden to emphasize experience and wisdom, he later concluded that running in 2024 would be unwise.

Axelrod voiced these concerns publicly in 2023, citing declining poll numbers and warning that the stakes of a miscalculation were “too dramatic to ignore.” On social media, he urged Biden to reconsider his campaign, asking whether continuing was in the president’s best interest or the country’s.

Klain, in response, publicly criticized Axelrod, referencing a 2019 comment in which Axelrod compared Biden to the cartoon character “Mr. Magoo.” The back-and-forth escalated further when Biden reportedly called Axelrod a "prick"—a private remark that was later leaked to the press.

Despite the backlash, Axelrod received private messages of support from prominent Democrats who agreed with his concerns but remained silent. Many feared that openly questioning Biden’s candidacy would weaken the party ahead of a likely rematch with Donald Trump.

While the book explores internal disagreements and doubts, a Biden spokesperson defended the president’s record, stating that there was no evidence of failure in leadership or neglect of presidential duties. The spokesperson emphasized Biden’s continued engagement in national affairs and his effective leadership.

The debate over Biden’s age and 2024 run underscores a broader dilemma within the Democratic Party—balancing loyalty with political pragmatism in a high-stakes election year.