- Joe Biden’s 2024 U.S. Presidential Election odds took a hit following a special counsel report on the handling of classified documents.
- The report cleared Biden from prosecution, but claims of ‘diminished faculties’ and other concerns regarding his age sent his odds tanking.
- While Biden’s odds slid, Donald Trump’s odds improved on the special counsel report.
Special counsel Robert Hur revealed President Joe Biden will not be prosecuted for improper handling of classified documents. However, federal prosecutor Hur, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump, disclosed that Biden’s mental capacity is faltering. As a result, Biden’s U.S. Presidential Election odds have fallen from +200 to +300, at Bovada.
Despite clearing Biden of charges, according to the Department of Justice’s Special Counsel’s Office report, there was evidence of Biden willfully retaining and disclosing classified materials after his vice presidency as a private citizen.
The investigation goes back to Biden’s time as Barack Obama’s VP from 2009 to 2017. The allegations stemmed from classified documents located at the Biden Penn Center, Biden’s private residence in Delaware, and his Senate papers at the University of Delaware.
The special counsel investigation discovered that Biden did retain documents, but they were not confident he would be found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. In Hur’s reasoning, the most damaging information was criticism regarding Biden’s concerning mental faculties.
Biden’s Mental Fitness In The Spotlight Again
In what has been a major disparagement of Biden by Republicans during his presidency, the Special Counsel’s Office put the president’s mental capabilities into question.
In the scathing report, Biden’s age, memory, and ability to lead the country were all brought into question. Among the words used to assess Biden, ‘diminished faculties’ and ‘significant limitations’ were included in the report.
The report continued that Biden regularly forgot when he was vice president. “If it was 2013 — when did I stop being vice-president?” the findings quoted.
However, the most controversial details of the investigation were regarding Biden’s son, Beau. It highlighted how Biden wasn’t aware of when his son passed away.
He did not remember, even within several years, when his son Beau died.
This drew staunch criticism from Democrats, Biden supporters, and Biden himself. Speaking in the Diplomatic Reception Room in response to the special counsel report, Biden defended himself.
How in the hell dare he raise that,” Biden said. “Frankly, when I was asked that question, I thought to myself, ‘Wasn’t any of their damn business’
The First Lady Jill Biden also slammed the special counsel for raising the notion in the report. According to the First Lady, using Biden’s deceased son to ‘score political points’ was shameful. In addition, Hur being appointed by former President Trump has been brought into question by Democrats.
Trump, Michelle Obama, and Gavin Newsom’s Odds Rise
As Biden continues to fight back against critics, there have been a few notable presidential candidates that have benefited from the special counsel report. Most notably, Trump has extended his lead in the online betting markets for the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election.
Prior to the report, Trump had +115 odds to win the election. Currently, Trump is +100, with an implied probability of 50 percent to regain control of the White House after losing it in 2020. Furthermore, Biden’s opponents for the Democratic nomination have gained more traction.
In spite of not announcing a presidential campaign, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and former First Lady Michelle Obama’s odds have seen a boost following the release of Biden’s special counsel investigation.
Obama’s 2024 U.S. Presidential Election odds have improved from +1200 to +900. Meanwhile, Newsom’s odds witnessed a modest jump from +1400 to +1200. With that in mind, according to Bovada, Obama is the most likely opponent to unseat Biden for the Democratic nomination.
Biden’s Democratic nominee odds have slipped to -190, with an implied probability of 65.5 percent to win. The odds favor Biden, but Obama has put a dent in his lead. At +500, Obama has an implied probability of 16.7 percent to capture the nomination.
