Challenges to Trust: CNN Raises Concerns over Assessing Biden's Cognitive Capabilities
In a recent discussion, CNN's Jake Tapper addressed the Biden White House's characterization of legitimate video footage of President Joe Biden as "cheap fakes" last year. Tapper contended that this was an inaccurate portrayal, claiming that the White House misrepresented such videos as "fake" when they were, in fact, genuine.
A new book co-authored by Tapper, titled "Original Sin," sheds light on concerns regarding Biden's mental decline in office and the alleged cover-up orchestrated by his team. Interestingly, CNN figures have, in the past, been critical of narratives questioning Biden's fitness.
As Tapper and co-author Alex Thompson promote their book, media critics have noted that mainstream outlets, including CNN, may have downplayed or been hostile to the suggestion that Biden could be losing his grip before the 2024 debate against President Donald Trump.
Four examples from CNN reflect this alleged downplaying or hostility:
- Videos of Biden appearing confused or disoriented: Last year, several videos showcasing Biden's apparent confusion or freezing up at various events went viral. The White House aggressively pushed back, labeling some of these videos as edited in a misleading manner or non-representative of the actual events. CNN White House correspondent Arlette Saenz supported this narrative by suggesting that Biden had merely paused to look at the crowd before leaving a fundraiser with former President Barack Obama.
- CNN's adoption of the term "cheap fakes": In response to these videos, the term "cheap fakes" was popularized, with press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre noting from the podium that fact-checkers and mainstream outlets had embraced the term. However, Tapper has since expressed disagreement with this characterization, stating that the videos were not fake but genuine footage of Biden's behavior.
- CNN citing expert concerns about ageism: In an article published after the release of the Robert Hur report, which described Biden as an elderly man with a poor memory, CNN's website discussed concerns about both Biden's and Trump's cognitive abilities for a person in their 80s. The article cited a professor who expressed concerns about ageism but also suggested that the skepticism about Biden was a form of prejudice against the elderly.
- Tapper's past coverage of Biden's cognitive decline under scrutiny: Previous coverage of Biden's cognitive decline by Jake Tapper is under renewed scrutiny in light of his new book. Some media critics have noted that Tapper, while occasionally raising concerns about Biden's age, generally steered away from direct coverage of cognitive decline during the height of the 2024 election.
Tapper has since expressed feelings of humility about his past work on Biden and praised conservative media outlets for discussing what was, in his opinion, in plain sight. The White House, on the other hand, has consistently refuted claims of cognitive decline and presented Biden as a highly effective president.
While it remains unclear if there was a deliberate cover-up or merely an effort to downplay concerns about Biden's cognitive health, the public discussion of these issues intensified following the 2024 debate. Today, with Tapper's new book providing further insight, these discussions continue to evolve.
- In his new book, "Original Sin," CNN's Jake Tapper and co-author Alex Thompson explore concerns about President Joe Biden's mental decline in office, suggesting a possible cover-up by his team.
- Media critics argue that mainstream outlets like CNN may have downplayed or shown hostility towards the suggestion that Biden could be losing his grip, as seen in their response to videos of Biden appearing confused or disoriented.
- One such example is CNN White House correspondent Arlette Saenz's response to viral videos of Biden freezing up, where she suggested that Biden had merely paused to look at the crowd before leaving an event.
- Another example is CNN's adoption of the term "cheap fakes" when responding to the viral videos, a characterization that Jake Tapper now disagrees with, stating that the videos were genuine.
- The public discussion of Biden's cognitive health intensified after the 2024 debate and is further evolving due to Tapper's new book, with Jake Tapper himself expressing feelings of humility about his past work on Biden.
- While the White House consistently refutes claims of cognitive decline, the public debate surrounding this issue continues, with topics like policy-and-legislation, war-and-conflicts, and car-accidents intertwining with general-news items like crime-and-justice, accidents, and fires.
