After he and Michelle assisted in ousting Joe Biden as the Democratic presidential candidate, Barack Obama has expressed his sympathies to him in the wake of his heartbreaking prostate cancer diagnosis.
The 82-year-old received backing from the former president, who joined a chorus of politicians from both sides of the aisle.
“Michelle and I are thinking of the entire Biden family,” Obama wrote on X.
“Nobody has done more to find breakthrough treatments for cancer in all its forms than Joe, and I am certain he will fight this challenge with his trademark resolve and grace. We pray for a fast and full recovery.”
He was diagnosed with a ‘aggressive form’ of prostate cancer, according to a Biden spokesperson hours earlier.
Since then, the cancer has spread to his bones.
The health disclosure was made barely one week after it was reported that Biden’s prostate had a “small nodule” that required “further evaluation.”
The former president ‘was evaluated for a new diagnosis of a prostate nodule after having worsening urinary symptoms’ last week, according to Biden’s office.
“On Friday, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone,” it adds of the grave prognosis.
A ‘Gleason score’ is assigned to prostate tumours based on how the malignant cells appear in comparison to healthy ones.
With a score of nine, Biden’s cancer appears to be one of the most aggressive. After a routine checkup at Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre in February 2024, Biden’s physician deemed him “fit to serve” while he was president.
According to a statement from Biden’s office, the type of cancer seems to be hormone-sensitive and may be successfully treated with a variety of therapies.
The former president has previously fought cancer.
Prior to taking office, Biden underwent Mohs surgery to remove many non-melanoma skin cancer spots and had a malignant tumour removed from his chest in February 2023.
After being diagnosed with the most aggressive form of brain cancer, glioblastoma multiforme, in 2013, Biden’s son Beau passed away in 2015 at the age of 46. According to his father, Beau’s exposure to military burn pits during his time in Iraq caused the cancer.
Biden, who was initially assigned to lead the Cancer Moonshot initiative while serving as Obama’s vice president, rekindled it in 2022.
By 2047, the project aimed to improve the lives of cancer patients and reduce the cancer death rate by half.
Both these personal struggles and the work that started during the Obama administration are related to Obama’s mention of Biden’s efforts to find a cure for cancer.
Amid long-standing rumours of a conflict between her and Biden, his wife Michelle reposted his homage but added no extra words or expressions of support.
Rumours circulated that Obama had lost faith in Biden’s ability to win a second term after his catastrophic debate with Trump in June 2024, and he started covertly backing efforts to find a qualified successor.
Despite their tight bond, which grew during his eight years as vice president, Biden reportedly confided in friends and family that he felt “a deep sense of betrayal” that Obama had not supported him.
Obama praised his former deputy during the Democratic National Convention in August, calling him his “brother” and expressing gratitude for his service.
However, it is noteworthy that Michelle did not mention Biden once throughout her stirring 23-minute speech.
The former First Lady apparently declined to speak at the convention when Biden was still in the 2024 race, according to insiders who called it a snub at the time.
According to reports, Michelle is upset with the Bidens for how they treated her close friend and Hunter Biden’s ex-wife, Kathleen Buhle.
The family has banished Buhle during their protracted separation from Hunter, which began in 2017.
According to reports, Michelle only confirmed her DNC speaking slot after Biden resigned, and she never ran for office when he was the nominee.
In a feeble attempt to patch things up with her former boss, Kamala Harris, his replacement, responded to the diagnosis with a drab statement.
“Doug and I are saddened to learn of President Biden’s prostate cancer diagnosis,” she wrote.
“We are keeping him, Dr. Biden, and their entire family in our hearts and prayers during this time.”
“Joe is a fighter — and I know he will face this challenge with the same strength, resilience, and optimism that have always defined his life and leadership. We are hopeful for a full and speedy recovery.”
Together, Harris and her husband Doug posted supportive remarks on X. A little while later, Doug posted a photo of himself and Biden with the caption, “Sending love and strength to my friend, Joe Biden.”
Biden’s connection with Obama was strained after he was forced to withdraw from the presidential run and was replaced by his deputy, which is connected to Harris and Biden’s apparent rivalry.
On July 21, a few hours later, he endorsed Harris.
However, there were rumours that the president started ignoring Harris after she lost badly to Trump a few months later.
At the time, several insiders told the Daily Mail that he honestly thought Harris could defeat Trump and found it difficult to comprehend how she so dramatically botched the election and a billion dollars in campaign contributions.
However, according to other insiders, he was secretly furious that he had to withdraw at all and had stated that he believed he would have won the race.
Biden’s Democratic Party allies have now begun to openly acknowledge that he should not have ran for reelection in 2024.
Some say that aides who were hiding Biden from the public and telling party members he was fit behind the scenes tricked them.
In the electoral college and the popular vote, Trump defeated Harris.
Some Democratic Party members pointed the finger at Biden, claiming that Harris’ campaign would have benefited from additional time and that he ought to have left the race far earlier.
“It’s almost Shakespearean that Biden didn’t just kill his own campaign, he killed hers, too,” a Harris campaign adviser rather dramatically told the Washington Post.
Adding fuel to the fire, Harris’ choice to post her message to Biden on X has sparked speculation over whether or not she also gave him a phone call.
“Are you even serious? You stabbed this man in the back and then threw him to the wolves,” one critic said.
“Such public displays of empathy… a performance for the masses. It is as if genuine concern is a rare commodity that must be theatrically displayed. Perhaps true compassion starts where the cameras end.”
Some of Biden’s most vocal detractors and MAGA supporters have made more passionate remarks than his supporters, including President Trump and Marjorie Taylor Greene.
“I’m sorry to see this news. Cancer is truly awful. My Dad passed away in 2021 with cancer. Prays for Joe Biden and his family,” Greene wrote.
Trump took to Truth Social to share his tribute, writing, “Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden’s recent medical diagnosis.”
“We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.”
Donald Trump Jr. posted news of the grave prognosis to his Instagram story and wrote, “Politics aside, we wish him a speedy recovery.”
In addition to being elected as the oldest individual to hold the highest position in US history, Biden departed office as the country’s oldest president.
Biden’s cognitive impairment was frequently criticised harshly by the Trump family.
Biden was frequently called “sleepy Joe” by President Trump, 78, who criticised his lenient schedule and asserted that his “handlers” were running the White House.
Shortly after he resumed his media appearances, Biden received his diagnosis.
On May 8, he co-hosted an interview with his wife, former first lady Jill Biden, on The View.
To commemorate the anniversary of Victory Day, the former president also appeared on BBC for a lengthy pre-recorded interview.
However, Jake Tapper of CNN and Alex Thompson of Axios are writing a book that will only discuss Biden’s demise and the vast cover-up of his cognitive degeneration during his one term in office.
“Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again” will hit shelves later this week and details the extent of the cover-up.
His single-term condition deteriorated so much towards the end that several aides began to question whether he would require a wheelchair.
