The Commentary Magazine Podcast: "They Want You to Ignore the Biden Scandal"

Date: October 29, 2025
Hosts & Panelists: John Podhoretz (Host/Editor), Abe Greenwald (Executive Editor), Seth Mandel (Senior Editor), Matthew Continetti (Washington Columnist)

Overview

This episode focuses on the unfolding and underreported scandal surrounding President Joe Biden's cognitive decline at the end of his presidency, as revealed by a newly released House Oversight Committee report. The hosts analyze the implications for Biden's use (or abuse) of presidential powers—especially the controversial mass pardons, the media’s role in suppressing the story, and the constitutional consequences. The latter part of the episode also touches on the Israel-Hamas ceasefire and media portrayals of U.S. and Israeli politics.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Biden Scandal: Substance and Suppression

• A critical House Oversight Committee report, released under Rep. Jamie Comer, details internal testimony from Biden officials about the president's cognitive and physical health during his final year in office.
• The mainstream media largely ignored this report—coverage is found only in right-leaning outlets like the Washington Free Beacon.

Notable Findings from the Report

• Privately, Biden insiders admitted concerns about the president’s cognitive abilities, in stark contrast to their public assurances.

  • Kevin O’Connor (Biden’s doctor) invoked the Fifth Amendment when questioned about Biden’s health, despite public statements of fitness.
  • Jeff Zients (Chief of Staff) acknowledged strategies to limit Biden’s physical exertion and memory lapses:
    "There were multiple discussions about how to reduce the number of steps Biden would take in public because they were worried about his physical capacity…” —Matthew Continetti [07:53]
  • Karine Jean-Pierre, publicly dismissive of concerns, was “non-responsive” to House investigators.

• Auto Pen Abuse: Staffers allegedly processed significant executive actions, including mass pardons, via auto pen signatures, with unclear documentation that Biden himself ever approved these actions.

  • "While President Biden became progressively less able to do his job...White House staff took shortcuts and ad hoc actions to keep Biden afloat.” —Matthew Continetti, quoting the report [09:10]

• Biden aides, such as Mike Donilon, had personal financial interests in perpetuating the image of Biden’s capacity:

  • Donilon faced questions about a $4 million campaign bonus; he deflected for 45 seconds before citing a contractual guarantee.

Implications & Questions Raised

• Was Biden genuinely serving as president in his final months, or were aides making executive decisions without proper authorization?

• The use of auto pen (and absence of records of Biden’s explicit approval) undermines constitutional norms regarding executive authority.

• The mainstream press’s failure to cover the story reveals their complicity or an unwillingness to challenge their political allies.

  • "Why wasn’t this a story then? Why isn’t it a story now? Because it is a story about the complicity of the liberal establishment..." —John Podhoretz [15:02]

2. Constitutional & Structural Issues

The 25th Amendment Failsafe

• Despite clear evidence of incapacity, neither the cabinet nor congressional leadership invoked the 25th Amendment, designed to transfer power when a president is unable to fulfill their duties.

  • "The one time that it really should have been invoked, it didn’t work.” —John Podhoretz [26:15]

• Reasons for inaction:

  • Fear of empowering Vice President Kamala Harris, whom key actors—including Biden's own circle—deemed an unsuitable or risky substitute.
  • Political calculations to avoid strengthening Trump's hand.

The Pardon Scandal

• Mass, preemptive pardons (including for Biden’s own family) were signed off under questionable circumstances, possibly without Biden’s direct approval.

  • Lack of proper records and use of auto pen enabled these actions.
  • "Zients did so without confirming with President Biden that he had in fact granted these pardons after repeatedly telling the American people he would not pardon his son Hunter..." —Matthew Continetti [28:54]

• Discussion of structural problem with unchecked presidential pardon powers, especially as demonstrated by both Biden and Trump.

  • Calls for constitutional reform to allow congressional veto of presidential pardons with a two-thirds majority.

3. Media Complicity and Political Incentives

• The hosts argue that the media, Democratic elites, and many in official Washington were “in on it,” choosing not to report or act on Biden’s incapacity to avoid hurting their own side or inadvertently empowering Trump.

  • "If I knew [about Biden’s condition], he knew. So why wasn’t this a story then?” —John Podhoretz [15:02]

• Kamala Harris served as a kind of “insurance policy”—her unpopularity ensured few pushed to force Biden out early.

4. Israel-Hamas Ceasefire & Political Maneuverings

Ceasefire Violations and International Perceptions

• The panel details how Hamas repeatedly violated the ceasefire, especially by refusing to return the remains of Israeli hostages and attacking Israeli soldiers.

  • "Apparently, according to the intelligentsia, the ceasefire is binding only on Israel…" —Matthew Continetti [54:47]

• U.S. support, particularly from President Trump, acknowledged Israel’s right to enforce ceasefire terms, contradicting some media narratives of “Israel endangering the ceasefire.”

  • "Israel is working to maintain the ceasefire..." —John Podhoretz [56:42]

Media Framing and U.S.-Israel Relations

• The media are accused of cherry-picking facts to fit anti-Israel or anti-Trump narratives.

  • Washington Post portrayed Trump as potentially undermining Israel’s needs; the hosts point out omitted quotes where Trump clearly threatened Hamas to comply, demonstrating selective reporting [62:01].

• Tension between Trump and Netanyahu presents a dilemma for liberal critics who despise both figures but must acknowledge the leadership dynamics they dislike.

5. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the media’s silence:
  • "We now have the pardon power misused on all sides in successive administrations in ways that are discomforting to both parties, including their own." —John Podhoretz [41:45]
• On the constitutional system failing:
  • "…the institutional, the creation of the institution of the presidency militates against this very clear moment at which his refusal to acknowledge that he should not have run…” —John Podhoretz [27:40]
• On Biden's cognitive decline:
  • "It’s not just that they’re delegating responsibility from the president. It seems in the case of these pardons, they were actually designing the pardons and authorizing the pardons without the president’s knowledge, which is a huge scandal." —Matthew Continetti [12:30]

6. Timestamps for Key Segments

• [07:26–13:13] – Matthew Continetti summarizes the House Oversight Committee report on Biden
• [13:13–18:56] – What it means for presidential authority and the potential complicity of the media and political establishment
• [24:37–28:46] – Discussion of the unsuccessful function of the 25th Amendment in removing Biden
• [28:46–33:59] – Deep dive into the controversial use of the auto pen and the pardon scandal
• [48:02–54:47] – Ceasefire developments, violations by Hamas, religious and political ramifications
• [62:01–64:58] – Critique of media coverage (or absence thereof) regarding Trump and Netanyahu’s actions

7. Book and Film Recommendations

Seth Mandel:

• The Feeling of Iron by Giaime Alonge
  • A gripping Cold War/spy novel tracing Holocaust trauma, Nazi war criminals, and revenge across decades and continents.
  • [67:06]

John Podhoretz:

• Never Look Away (film by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck)
  • Explores an artist’s life through the Nazi and Soviet eras in Germany—an acclaimed meditation on art, trauma, and totalitarianism.
  • [69:43]

Conclusion

This episode offers an incisive, candid look at one of the gravest underreported scandals of recent American history—the twilight of Biden's presidency. The Commentary hosts lay bare not just the factual findings of congressional inquiries but the web of complicity among media and political elites that enabled the cover-up. Their discussion continues into urgent constitutional questions and the fraught domestic and international politics of 2025, blending sharp analysis with the magazine's trademark biting wit.

For listeners who missed the episode, this summary captures the structure, tone, and substance of the discussion, with major revelations and commentary clearly marked and attributed.