Are rumors of Dianne Feinstein's cognitive decline true, or is it a left-wing conspiracy within the Democrats to sideline her?

A bombshell article has made world headlines but, while the elderly need to be protected, the same type of reporting wasn’t directed at Joe Biden who showed worrying signs of losing his faculties, and he was running for president.

Sometimes the messenger is more important than the message. The New Yorker has done a hatchet job on Dianne Feinstein calling into question the 87-year old Senator’s mental faculties. The left-wing magazine has endorsed Obama (twice) and Hillary Clinton in the previous three presidential races.Its editor David Remnick’s last book was 'The Bridge: The Life and Rise of Barack Obama,' for which the former president gave an interview. So it’s not the obvious outlet to scorch Feinstein and accuse her of struggling to function.

The New Yorker’s standing meant the allegations were carried by major TV networks and mainstream media. Clearly there’s no denying Feinstein's recent questioning of Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey was odd. She asked the same question, virtually word for word, twice in succession about Trump’s posts. 

The New Yorker piece didn’t paint a happy picture..."her short-term memory has grown so poor that she often forgets she has been briefed on a topic.” There’s no reason to think that is not the case, but the allegations were from unnamed staff members or aides who spoke anonymously “with respect for her accomplished career.” Some might argue that, if you are going to trash a person’s professional standing, it is more respectful to put your name behind it.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a longtime colleague of Feinstein, certainly seems to be struggling with her. Last month following a confirmation hearing, he said: “I’ve had a long and serious talk with Senator Feinstein. That’s all I’m going to say about it right now.” He, and many Democrats, were unhappy that Feinstin didn’t pile the pressure on Amy Coney Barrett, Trump’s nominee to take liberal legend Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat on the US Supreme Court. 

The Democrats were disgruntled that Feinstein bumbled her words on Coney Barrett’s anti-abortion stance. Pro-choice activist IIyse Hogue said: "Sen. Dianne Feinstein, failed to make this clear and in fact offered an appearance of credibility to the proceedings that is wildly out of step with the American people.”

Feinstein has history with Coney Barett; at a 2017 hearing there were inklings of mental decline. Parts of her questioning seemed random and jarring. But the biggest problem was when Feinstein said: "Whatever a religion is, it has its own dogma...And I think in your case, professor, when you read your speeches, the conclusion one draws is that the dogma lives loudly within you.” This put Coney-Barrett on the map, Trump embraced her as an unashamed conservative Christian patriot under attack, and the Democrats were seething that one of their own had created an anti-hero.

They then erupted like a volcano, when following Coney Barrett’s 2020 appointment to the Supreme Court (making it 6-3 in favour of conservatives), Feinstein said "I just want to thank you. This has been one of the best set [sic] of hearings that I've participated in,” to Repbublican Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham.

Feinstein was also embroiled in controversy when another right-wing judge Brett Kavanaugh joined the Supreme Court in 2018. She had a letter from a woman accusing him of sexual assault, but kept it secret until after he was confirmed – at the request of the alleged victim. 

It’s worth wondering if Feinstein’s faculties are as diminished as the sources say, or if this a plot to take her down for not doing the Democrats’ bidding? She may well be struggling to remember things and needing to be repeatedly briefed. But if the left-wingers are so concerned about potential cognitive decline, why didn’t they express any concern about Joe Biden?This is a man who has forgotten where he is on several occasions, as well as mixing up his wife and sister. During a high-profile address to launch his Covid-19 response plan, he got the names of team members wrong and during one rally prior to last month’s presidential election, he proclaimed: "I’m running as a proud Democrat for the Senate."

Despite these numerous gaffes and allegations that Biden had dementia by Republicans, there was a left-wing wall of silence. Therefore it is somewhat suspicious that they’ve gone full-steam ahead solely on Feinstein, one of eight current Senators over 80.

Feinstein is clearly not willing to be dictated to by the Democratic Party machine. Her headstrong approach to setting her own agenda has not benefited the party in the battle of public perception and seems to have only helped Trump’s backers. She’s also in the Clinton camp, and not part of Team Biden/Harris. So it may be that her cognitive deficiencies are so great and she can no longer operate as a United States senator. But from a cynical standpoint it looks like she is being forced out, the timing and delivery of all this is all a little too convenient.

Eerily foreshadowing this back in 2017, when asked how long she would keep going, Feinstein replied: “It's what I'm meant to do, as long as the old bean holds up.” 

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