Over the weekend, various media commentators debated the necessity of discussing the declining mental health of former President Joe Biden, especially in light of his recent cancer diagnosis. His personal team confirmed on Sunday that doctors diagnosed him with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones.
This announcement coincided with the release of upcoming books by Axios’ Alex Thompson and CNN’s Jake Tapper. While concerns grow about whether the Biden administration has misled the public, some in the media suggest that the cancer diagnosis should momentarily overshadow those worries.
“Conversations will happen, but they should take a more subdued tone for now as he deals with this,” suggested David Axelrod, a CNN commentator and former advisor to President Barack Obama.
In a more straightforward expression, leftist commentator Jeffrey Tiedrich, describing himself as a “loudmouth,” urged those criticizing Biden’s age to stop their comments on social media.
Meghan McCain, daughter of the late Republican Senator John McCain, shared a similar sentiment, stating she was tired of hearing about Biden’s alleged health cover-up. “This is all so sad and rude,” she remarked.
The calls for a bipartisan conversation regarding Biden’s health were met with both support and skepticism. Progressive journalist Glenn Greenwald criticized Axelrod for seemingly leveraging Biden’s cancer to silence concerns about his cognitive decline. “The real issue is the media and those within the Democratic Party who misrepresented his mental health,” Greenwald asserted.
Joining the discourse, Vice President JD Vance argued that it’s essential to assess if Biden is fit for the role, emphasizing that if he cannot perform due to health reasons, he shouldn’t continue in the position. “You can hope for health, but if you’re not healthy enough for the job, then maybe you shouldn’t be doing it,” he stated.
