Skeptics Book Club - Original Sin, by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson

Come to Swagat - West Side - for a delicious Indian meal and to discuss the book, Original Sin, by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson! Even if you have not read or finished the book, feel free to come out and discuss it with your fellow Skeptics!

**Note that sometimes this restaurant does not do separate checks, so please be sure to bring cash, just in case**

The tie-in between this book and Skepticism is that throughout Joe Biden's campaign for the 2024 Presidency, particularly after his horrific June 2024 debate performance, he and his team kept trying to reassure the American public that he was fine and there was "nothing to see here!" However, we all knew that was not true. We knew we were being gaslighted. The American public wanted the truth and to know the full extent of what was wrong with the President and how long it had been this way, but honest answers were not to be forthcoming -- until he lost the election that is.

Here is a synopsis of the book from Audible.com:

"In Greek tragedy, the protagonist’s effort to avoid his fate is what seals his fate. In 2024, American politics became a Greek tragedy.

"Joe Biden launched his successful 2020 bid for the White House with the stated goal of saving the nation from a second Trump presidential term. He, his family, and his senior aides were so convinced that only he could beat Trump again, they lied to themselves, allies, and the public about his condition and limitations. At his debate with Trump on June 27, 2024, the consequences of that deception were exposed to the world. It was shocking and upsetting.

"Now the full, unsettling truth is being told for the first time. Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson take us behind closed doors and into private conversations between the heaviest of hitters, revealing how big the problem was and how many people knew about it. From White House staffers at the highest to lowest levels, to leaders of Congress and the Cabinet, from governors to donors and Hollywood players, the truth is finally being told. What you will learn makes President Biden’s decision to run for reelection seem shockingly narcissistic, self-delusional, and reckless—a desperate bet that went bust—and part of a larger act of extended public deception that has few precedents. The story the authors tell raises fundamental issues of accountability and responsibility that will continue for decades.

"The irony is biting: In the name of defeating what they called an existential threat to democracy, Biden and his inner circle ensured it, tossing aside his implicit promise to serve for only one term, denying the existence of health issues the nation had been watching for years, dooming the Democrats to defeat. The decision to run again, the Original Sin of this president, led to a campaign of denial and gaslighting, leading directly to Donald Trump's return to power and all that has happened as a consequence. Rarely does hubris meet nemesis more explosively. Wherever you stand on the political spectrum, Original Sin is essential listening."

Pro Tip: If you're reserving the book thru the LinkCat library service, use Advanced Search for Title = Original Sin and Author = Jake Tapper to take you directly to what you want.