A new book by CNN anchor Jake Tapper and Axios correspondent Alex Thompson, titled Original Sin: President Joe Bieden, the Cover-up, and the Risky Decision to Run Again, is set to hit shelves on May 20, 2025.
The book offers a meticulously researched account of the Democratic Party’s defeat in the 2024 U.S. presidential election, with a sharp focus on President Joe Biden’s controversial decision to seek re-election amid mounting concerns about his mental and physical health.
Tapper and Thompson allege that Biden, along with his family and senior aides, engaged in what they describe as “a prolonged act of public deception,” deliberately concealing the extent of the president’s cognitive decline from both the public and political allies.
According to the authors, Biden’s inner circle convinced themselves and others that he was the only Democrat capable of defeating Donald Trump in a potential rematch, leading them to mislead allies and voters alike.
The publisher, Penguin Press, has described the book as a revealing exposé that portrays Biden’s decision to run for re-election as “shockingly narcissistic, self-delusional, and reckless—a desperate gamble that ultimately failed.”
Tapper, who co-moderated the June 2024 CNN presidential debate, highlights the event as a turning point that laid bare Biden’s struggles. The book argues that Biden’s underwhelming debate performance was not an isolated incident but rather the culmination of a years-long decline in his cognitive abilities.
“What the world witnessed at Joe Biden’s sole debate was not an anomaly—it was the inevitable outcome of an 81-year-old man whose faculties had been deteriorating for years,” the authors write.
Original Sin is currently under strict embargo, with no further details to be disclosed until closer to its release date. The book is expected to spark significant debate and scrutiny over Biden’s presidency and the decisions made by his administration during the 2024 election cycle.
CNN’s Jake Tapper Reveals Exciting News, Tapper announced on his page earlier that his highly-anticipated book, “Original Sin”, is now available for preorder from @PenguinPress.
This explosive exposé is the result of meticulous research and interviews with over 200 White House insiders, Democratic leaders, and more, conducted by Tapper alongside Alex Thompson. #OriginalSinBook
