The recently released special counsel interview with Joe Biden reveals his selective memory during questioning about classified documents.
The interview, conducted by Robert Hur in October 2023, reveals more than confusion. It shows Biden’s strategic avoidance.
Biden’s counsel interview reveals memory lapses under pressure
Biden’s special counsel interview exposes a pattern of memory lapses when facing incriminating questions.
In the first 13 minutes of the interview, Biden struggles to recall key dates and details related to classified documents.
This portrayal feeds the narrative of an “elderly man with a poor memory,” as suggested by special counsel Hur.
However, a deeper listen shows Biden remembers facts clearly when convenient but becomes vague when feeling trapped.
His lawyer frequently interrupts to shield Biden from damaging admissions. She also responds with laughter during tense moments.
Biden recalls details but gives vague legal answers
At one point, Hur compliments Biden’s “photographic recall” as he describes his home’s layout in great detail.
Prosecutors discovered large amounts of classified material at Biden’s house, garage, and Biden-Penn Center office.
In a recorded call, Biden told his ghostwriter, Mark Zwonitzer, he had “just found all the classified stuff downstairs” in his Virginia home’s basement.
Yet, when asked about moving classified materials or packing boxes, Biden claims ignorance or defers responsibility to his staff.
The special counsel report contradicts Biden’s claims. They also confirmed that his direct involvement in packing and moving classified boxes.
Military aides and Secret Service agents witnessed Biden personally handling boxes. This occurred during the move from the Naval Observatory to Virginia.
“He selected [the furniture], directed some of the packing, and was personally present for the entirety of the move,” the Hur Report states. “One military aide recalled seeing him ‘packing by himself’ and ‘just him moving his stuff one at a time into the . . . truck’ at the Naval Observatory on moving day, and Secret Service agents saw Mr. Biden ‘moving boxes’ at the ‘Virginia house’ during the weekend of his move into that house.”
Prosecutors face dilemma: hold Biden accountable or avoid crisis
Despite clear evidence of Biden’s involvement, prosecutors hesitated to charge a sitting president.
They faced a tough choice. One option was to label Biden a pathological liar, risking constitutional upheaval.
The other was to cite his age and memory issues as mitigating factors.
The easier route was to avoid charges, citing his mental fog and declining cognitive ability instead.
This decision reflects the complex political and legal pressures surrounding investigations of a sitting U.S. president.
Throughout the interview, Biden denies keeping classified materials for personal use, claiming he is honorable and upright.
But investigators found extensive classified documents at his homes and Biden-Penn Center office, contradicting his denials.
A recorded conversation with his ghostwriter confirms Biden admitted to discovering classified files stored in his basement.
The interview was not conducted under oath. This limited its legal weight and allowed Biden to avoid full accountability.