by Nicole Silverio
The corporate media attempted to discredit any concerns about President Joe Biden’s mental acuity following the release of a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report from June detailing the president’s decline.
The WSJ detailed in a Thursday article that White House aides and advisers handled Biden’s responsibilities as his mental health waned, with some cabinet advisers revealing that they met with advisers rather than the president himself. Six months earlier, the paper published a damning June 5 piece titled, “Behind Closed Doors, Biden Shows Signs Of Slipping,” outlining several accounts of many who shared their concerns about the president’s age and mental acuity from a wide range of sources.
Following the article’s publication in June, many members of the corporate media criticized those who dared to point out alleged signs of Biden’s deteriorating mental health and attempted to discredit the reports.
1. “Morning Joe” panelists rage over WSJ’s suggestion that Biden may be on the decline
The panelists on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” raged at the WSJ’s alleged “outrageous” piece about the president during a June 5 segment, alleging that Biden simply walks and speaks a little slower because he is aging.
“This piece is so tilted, so off the mark, is he 81 years old? Yes,” panelist Mike Barnicle said. “Is he a little slower in terms of his reactions to some things? Probably. That I don’t know, we don’t know. What I do know, Richard, and you’ve talked to people I’m sure who have been with him in national security meetings, I’ve been with people who have been with him in the situation room where he literally goes around the globe in the situation … and points out the weaknesses and the strengths of the United States’ relationships with every country that he’s talking about with no notes, with no notes.”
Co-host Joe Scarborough scoffed at concerns cited by former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who is cited in the piece stating that the president is “not the same person” and relies heavily on notes. The co-host alleged that McCarthy privately believed the president was “mentally sharp” and “very smart.”
2. Former CNN reporter Oliver Darcy attempts to discredit WSJ piece by accusing it of political bias
Former CNN senior media reporter Oliver Darcy immediately took a shot at the WSJ’s piece by accusing the outlet of deceiving their readers and the public about Biden’s mental acuity in his June 6 piece, “The Wall Street Journal’s story about Biden’s mental acuity suffer from glaring problems.”
“The Wall Street Journal owes its readers — and the public — better,” Darcy began, accusing the paper of playing into “a GOP-propelled narrative” about the president’s health.
He accused the piece of relying too heavily on Republican sources who wanted to ruin Biden’s candidacy.
“But an examination of the report reveals a glaring problem: Most of the sources reporters Annie Linskey and Siobhan Hughes relied on were Republicans. In fact, buried in the story, the reporters themselves acknowledged that they had drawn their sweeping conclusion based on GOP sources who, obviously, have an incentive to make comments that will damage Biden’s candidacy,” Darcy wrote.
Darcy further criticized the piece’s decision to quote McCarthy, who he said has spent years lying on now-President-elect Donald Trump’s behalf. He echoed accusations from Democrats who claimed that the piece should have quoted top Democrats and Biden’s top allies, such as former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
The former CNN reporter called out the WSJ for presenting a double standard between Trump and Biden, as the president-elect could allegedly get away with making “nonsensical public statements” without raising any concerns about his mental acuity.
3. Stephen Colbert scoffs at and mocks WSJ’s report
CBS News’ Stephen Colbert mocked the Journal’s article during a June 5 segment of “The Late Show,” suggesting that its details about Biden are meaningless.
“You heard that right, ladies and gentlemen. Joe Biden is old., which of course could disqualify him from being president. After all, being old is a felony,” Colbert said, in reference to Trump’s 34-count conviction in New York. “It’s not? Have they told … Pretty sure one of these guys had a bunch of felonies. Oh, it’s the other guy? 34, and [Trump’s] old too?”
Colbert scoffed at the report that Biden is “someone who has both good moments and bad ones” and for allegedly having to read off of notecards provided by his staff. He suggested that Biden’s slip-ups and gaffes detailed in the article are simply due to his age and have no connection to his mental acuity.
“He’s really old!” Colbert said. “This blockbuster lid-blower offer also explained that Biden is also ‘someone who has both good moments and bad ones.’ And a clear contrast with his opponent who only has bad ones. Still, I know, I am confident that the Wall Street Journal knows that old man is old is breaking news, but I’m sure they will balance that perspective about their 93-year-old boss Rupert Murdoch’s wedding, ‘Young Buck Ready To F*ck.”
4. CNN’s Bakari Sellers argues Biden is “capable” of running the country for another 4 years
As many in the media attempted to discredit the report and other concerns about Biden’s age, CNN’s Bakari Sellers suggested there is no reason to believe Biden could not serve for another four years. HBO’s Bill Maher said Biden gives off “old man vibes,” while Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro described the president as “mostly dead.”
“Last night was a wonderful night because it’s what you said, he is mostly dead, which is slightly alive, which is what you’re looking for if you’re a Republican,” Shapiro said. “In my synagogue, it’s an Orthodox synagogue, the Orthodox tend to vote for Donald Trump in very high rates. We have never said a prayer for the health of the president like we are currently saying a prayer for the health of the president. We would like him to remain in precisely the state he is all the way until just after the election. That would be great.”
“I hear that,” Sellers began. “But this also discounts the fact that this president actually has three-and-a-half years of accomplishment. Regardless of whether or not he’s 78, 79, or 80 … I have no reason to believe [Biden wouldn’t finish a second term]. I’m not wishing death on the man. He’s capable.”
Maher told Sellers that he is “surprised” by his defense of Biden, particularly after the president’s performance at the June 27 debate, which ultimately led him to drop out of the race nearly one month later. NBC News and Politico cited Biden aides who claimed Biden’s raspy voice and seemingly confused state during the debate was caused by a cold.
4. Mike Barnicle says those trying to throw Biden out of race over cognitive concerns are cruel
Barnicle, who once claimed that a 45-year-old could not accomplish what Biden has, said during a July segment of “Morning Joe” that certain members of the Democratic Party were cruel for attempting to oust the president from the race.
“You know, I think they are where a lot of people might be,” Barnicle said. “Looking at the level of cruelty that is involved in politics today. Here’s a man that has given 50 years of his life to the Democratic Party and the country. Here’s a man, who in 2008, was quite substantial in Barack Obama getting elected, and I’d hope President Obama had shared his misgivings about Joe Biden’s chances this fall with him personally over the phone, rather than having this political death by a thousand leaks every single day.”
Following Biden’s disastrous debate performance, dozens of Democrats called on the president to drop out over concerns about his mental health and capability to remain in office. Democratic Texas Rep. Lloyd Doggett became the first congressional member to oppose Biden’s reelection bid, followed by Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton, California Rep. Adam Schiff, New York Rep. Pat Ryan and Montana Sen. Jon Tester.
5. ‘The View’ co-hosts attempt to correct their fellow panelist as she expressed concern about Biden
Prior to the debate, “The View” co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin said Biden could have a “senior moment” on stage that may not work in his favor. Co-hosts Whoopi Goldberg immediately interrupted to ask what a “senior moment” is, while co-host Joy Behar explained that the president has always been a “stutterer”.
“On the flip side, if Joe Biden were to have a senior moment, if he paused,” Griffin began, leading Goldberg to interrupt. “If he had trouble gathering his thoughts or expressing [his thoughts] for an extended period of time.”
“He’s a stutterer, though,” Behar said. “He’s a stutterer.”
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Nicole Silverio is a reporter at Daily Caller News Foundation.
