Concerns About Biden’s Mental State and Media Responsibility
On Tuesday, Republican Senator John Kennedy from Louisiana expressed his worries about former President Joe Biden’s mental decline, focusing particularly on the media landscape. He noted that even before Biden’s 2020 presidential run, there were doubts about his clarity in communications. Recent commentary from CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios’ Alex Thompson has further highlighted what they describe as Biden’s spiritual decline during his presidency, which Fox host Sean Hannity addressed in light of Biden’s recent prostate cancer diagnosis.
“My primary concern relates to the current state of American media,” Kennedy stated. He recalled seeing part of the White House Correspondents’ dinner, where he heard reporters advocating for press freedom. “Americans are saddened that President Biden is dealing with illness, and we’ve observed for years the same patterns in his speaking. We witnessed a president who often struggled to finish his sentences,” he added. Kennedy depicted Biden as someone who seemed disoriented, indicating that he moved as if he were walking through water.
On Sunday, Biden’s office revealed that he has been diagnosed with a more aggressive type of prostate cancer that has spread to the bones.
There has been speculation regarding how long Biden has been dealing with cancer, with former Obama administration official Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel suggesting that the condition likely began at the start of his presidency in 2021.
Kennedy continued to voice his criticism, saying this reflects a failure on the part of legacy media. “Not only has the majority of the U.S. media failed to report it, but when concerns were raised by both Democrats and many Republicans, they brushed it aside. This is another example of how certain media members have squandered the trust of Americans,” he remarked.
He went on to point out other instances, such as the documents related to the Steele dossier and the Hunter Biden laptop, stating, “I could bring these up repeatedly, and each time it makes me want to bury my head in frustration.” He concluded that the media was quick to report on the issues after the release of Tapper’s book, but did not take responsibility for their previous silence on these noticeable concerns. “Hypocrisy is ever-present in this arena,” Kennedy said.
Throughout Biden’s time in the White House, Democrats have often dismissed worries about him. In a widely circulated video, former White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre referred to certain criticisms as “cheap fakes.”
As Biden’s chances in the 2024 election come into question, media critics like Tapper have previously defended Biden’s cognitive abilities. In a 2020 interview with Lara Trump, Donald Trump’s daughter-in-law, Tapper had insisted that any mockery of Biden’s speech was unfair, but later acknowledged that he regretted being dismissive.
