Victor Davis Hanson, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, critiqued CNN’s Jake Tapper for his change in stance regarding former President Joe Biden’s mental health on Friday. Hanson suggested that Tapper likely wouldn’t have shifted his view if Democrats were still in power.
Alex Thompson and Tapper recently released a book titled *Original Sin*, which discusses concerns about Biden’s cognitive abilities during his presidency. During an episode of “The Victor Davis Hanson Show,” host Sami Winc inquired about Hanson’s response to Tapper’s new criticisms.
“But has he ever really said, ‘I’m sorry?’” Hanson posed. “I mean, he might have commented on Laura Trump, but he’s addressed the audience too.”
Hanson expressed skepticism that Tapper would take responsibility, noting Biden’s serious missteps, like issues at the border and the withdrawal from Afghanistan. “You shouldn’t just blame Biden. Someone acted in his name,” he said.
Before Biden declared his candidacy in 2020, there were already Republican worries regarding his mental health. The GOP’s concerns faded following their election victory, while Democrats and media critics downplayed those worries.
In 2020, during an interview, Lara Trump, Donald Trump’s daughter-in-law, claimed Biden was in no position to assess anyone’s cognitive decline.
In his Tuesday interview with Kelly, Tapper issued an apology to Lara Trump, mentioning he had reached out to her previously.
“But here’s my point,” he elaborated. “Why didn’t he acknowledge being misled? The answer is clear. Joe Biden is no longer in power, especially since he hasn’t been president since June 2024.”
Hanson raised a pertinent question: “Would Tapper have made those comments if Biden were still president? No. He was dishonest when Biden stepped down. Now, with the release of his book, he’s changing his tune.”
Throughout Biden’s presidency and into his 2024 campaign, Tapper had supported him, particularly during Biden’s tense debates with Trump, where Tapper appeared to intervene when Biden stumbled.
Hanson speculated that Tapper’s publisher might be pressuring him to acknowledge his past errors about Biden to deflect criticism.
“So my question is similar to the many situations that were never addressed, like the Russian hoax or misinformation surrounding laptops. Have any of them ever apologized? Absolutely not,” he remarked.
Hanson concluded by suggesting that while Tapper might profit from his new book, there’s a lack of sincerity about the past actions against Americans. “I just want to know more, Jake. I’ve written a book too, but I won’t be buying yours,” he said.
Alongside increasing media coverage regarding Biden’s mental state, his office disclosed on Sunday that he was diagnosed with a more aggressive form of prostate cancer that has spread to the bones. Medical experts have noted that this condition had likely been present during his presidency.
