Hunter Thompson once wrote: "When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro." And that's exactly what's happened in the White House communications office.

Jen Psaki was a spinner extraordinaire. But she dished in a way that was fairly rational. Now, we have her successor, Karine Jean-Pierre, and I have no idea what is taking place.

You might have seen President Biden last week looking for a dead person, the late Congresswoman Jackie Walorski. Mr. Biden wanted to thank her for working to end hunger. A noble gesture.

Problem is Ms. Walorski was killed in an auto accident about two months ago. Apparently, the President had forgotten and paced the stage asking for "Jackie."

Yes, it was bizarre. And disturbing because Joe Biden holds so much power. So, of course, Ms. Jean-Pierre was asked about it. Her reply and I'm paraphrasing: nothing of importance here. The President simply had Jackie "top of mind."

Now, I know the phrase 'out of your mind.' I know 'mind over matter.' And I recently advised someone to be 'mindful."

Top of Mind? No.

According to new speak, it means you are thinking of someone or something. Okay. But as a reporter said to Karine: "I have John Lennon, 'top of mind' just about every day, but I'm not looking around for him anywhere?"

Someone inside the White House invented 'top of mind,' and Ms. Jean-Pierre threw it out there like it's as common as "fries to go."

In fact, we are living in an age when new cliches are invented all the time: "shelter in place," "transformational," "it is what it is."

Karine loves them like kittens.

However, verbal masking cannot hide the big trouble this country is in. Two years ago, the USA had the most vibrant economy on earth. Today, it's heading for shambles territory, and Joe Biden has no clue how to reverse things or solve any problem, for that matter. The Dow was down another 500 points on Friday.

In words, the White House might understand: "it is what it is."

Mr. Biden is essentially finished. Few Democrats running this year want him campaigning for them. California Governor Newsome is circling like a turkey buzzard. Vice-President Harris is a cipher as she analyzes our "alliance with North Korea."

It is a dark time in America as regular folks are getting badly hurt. Charles Dickens, an expert on departed apparitions, would be the guy to portray it in literature.

This coming Christmas, late at night, Joe Biden and Karine Jean-Pierre should have one image, 'Top of Mind:' the ghost of prosperity past.