Just as top Democrats were beginning to admit they ignored clear signs of his decline and pushed a doomed re-election bid, the news shifted the conversation from blame to sympathy. Accusations that Biden and his team hid his deteriorating condition to block a timely candidate switch have now gone quiet—muted by a diagnosis too grim to challenge publicly.

Instead of facing the fallout of a catastrophic defeat, the party is back to posting well wishes. Biden, smiling beside Jill and their cat, quoted Hemingway about “being strongest in the broken places.” The sentiment landed—but didn’t erase the damage.

The hard truth remains: Biden’s choice to run again, despite his age and obvious decline, didn’t just cost Democrats the election. It rewrote his legacy—and left the party leaderless in the aftermath.