If elected, Kamala Harris won’t be the first woman president — at least not according to some historians. That honor goes to Edith Bolling Wilson, wife of Woodrow Wilson and de facto president for the final 17 months of his term.

Woodrow Wilson suffered a stroke in early October 1919 and was incapacitated through the rest of his presidency. During that time, Bolling and Wilson’s physician, Dr. Cary Grayson, conspired to withhold the true state of the president’s health from Congress and the public. Bolling blocked access to the president by both staff and elected officials, deciding which papers Wilson would see. Although Mrs. Wilson denied that she was making decisions, only Bolling and the incapacitated Wilson were in the room with her.

President Joe Biden is not quite in Wilson’s condition. But the historic parallels are curious. Biden has appeared befuddled and hesitant, directed by aides, with Jill Biden speaking for him, prodding and prompting him in public. Interestingly, both Bolling and Jill Biden are second wives to widowers.

Given the history, one would think the doyens of American presidential history — people like Michael Beschloss, Doris Kearns Goodwin and Larry Sabato — would be omnipresent in the media on this topic. After all, none of them have ever been reticent about appearing on camera.

But no, just crickets.

It’s not that surprising. As part of the informal Washington political and media elite, Beschloss, Kearns Goodwin or Sabato are not going to put that membership at risk. And for the last four years, saying anything even remotely critical of Biden and the Democratic Party — anything that might possibly help former President Donald Trump — is a mortal sin.

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