Chris Cillizza Apologizes for Ignoring Biden’s ‘Mental and Physical’ Decline

As a Reporter I ░░░░░░░░ a confession to make ░░░░░░░░ should have pushed harder ░░░░░░░░ for more information about ░░░░░░░░ Biden s mental and ░░░░░░░░ well being and any ░░░░░░░░ of decline so let ░░░░░░░░ explain um Joe Biden ░░░░░░░░ president from 2020 to ░░░░░░░░ I worked at CNN ░░░░░░░░ 2022 um during that ░░░░░░░░ the the early part ░░░░░░░░ I was at CNN ░░░░░░░░ to 20 22 people ░░░░░░░░ regularly Republicans would regular ░░░░░░░░ ping me and say ░░░░░░░░ don t you ask ░░░░░░░░ questions of Joe Biden ░░░░░░░░ how he s doing ░░░░░░░░ s 76 77 78y ░░░░░░░░ man and I would ░░░░░░░░ of brush them off ░░░░░░░░ what I would say ░░░░░░░░ well there s no ░░░░░░░░ evidence that he s ░░░░░░░░ yeah he moves a ░░░░░░░░ slower he talks a ░░░░░░░░ slower but there s ░░░░░░░░ evidence that he s ░░░░░░░░ and and the White ░░░░░░░░ and the people around ░░░░░░░░ Biden were absolutely adamant ░░░░░░░░ suggesting anything asking the ░░░░░░░░ about whether he was ░░░░░░░░ some physical mental or ░░░░░░░░ decline was offensive how ░░░░░░░░ you it s AG ░░░░░░░░ and I think that ░░░░░░░░ me at some level ░░░░░░░░ while I did ask ░░░░░░░░ question from time to ░░░░░░░░ of you know not ░░░░░░░░ the White House but ░░░░░░░░ and and people around ░░░░░░░░ that orbit I didn ░░░░░░░░ really push on it ░░░░░░░░ if I m being ░░░░░░░░ now once I left ░░░░░░░░ and once it became ░░░░░░░░ little bit more clear ░░░░░░░░ me about Biden s ░░░░░░░░ I think I did ░░░░░░░░ pretty regularly and talk ░░░░░░░░ regularly about how I ░░░░░░░░ t sure that this ░░░░░░░░ was up to it ░░░░░░░░ then obviously after the ░░░░░░░░ 27th debate everybody including ░░░░░░░░ was writing and talking ░░░░░░░░ it um the reason ░░░░░░░░ I bring this up ░░░░░░░░ in the last 48 ░░░░░░░░ there have been two ░░░░░░░░ one by The New ░░░░░░░░ Times uh and one ░░░░░░░░ The Wall Street Journal ░░░░░░░░ document um the decline ░░░░░░░░ Joe Biden um and ░░░░░░░░ how we probably should ░░░░░░░░ known then and reported ░░░░░░░░ what we know now ░░░░░░░░ let me just um ░░░░░░░░ me just read a ░░░░░░░░ bit of the uh ░░░░░░░░ Street Journal piece which ░░░░░░░░ based off of 50 ░░░░░░░░ 5 that s me ░░░░░░░░ it for some unknown ░░░░░░░░ 50 interviews with people ░░░░░░░░ and around Biden uh ░░░░░░░░ m just going to ░░░░░░░░ a bit to adapt ░░░░░░░░ White House around the ░░░░░░░░ of a diminished leader ░░░░░░░░ told visitors to keep ░░░░░░░░ focused interactions with senior ░░░░░░░░ lawmakers and some cabinet ░░░░░░░░ including powerful secretaries such ░░░░░░░░ defenses Lloyd Austin and ░░░░░░░░ s Janet Yellen were ░░░░░░░░ or grew less frequent ░░░░░░░░ legislative leaders had a ░░░░░░░░ time getting the presidency ░░░░░░░░ at Key moments including ░░░░░░░░ of the US s ░░░░░░░░ pull out from Afghanistan ░░░░░░░░ advisers are often put ░░░░░░░░ roles at some administration ░░░░░░░░ officials and lawmakers thought ░░░░░░░░ should occupy with people ░░░░░░░░ as National Security adviser ░░░░░░░░ Sullivan senior counselor Steve ░░░░░░░░ and National Economic Council ░░░░░░░░ Leo brainer and her ░░░░░░░░ frequently in the position ░░░░░░░░ Being go betweens for ░░░░░░░░ president press AIDS who ░░░░░░░░ packages of news clips ░░░░░░░░ Biden were told by ░░░░░░░░ staff to exclude negative ░░░░░░░░ about the president the ░░░░░░░░ wasn t talking to ░░░░░░░░ own pollsters as survey ░░░░░░░░ showed him trailing in ░░░░░░░░ 2024 race um that ░░░░░░░░ I m looking up ░░░░░░░░ uh New York Times ░░░░░░░░ because I want a ░░░░░░░░ from The New York ░░░░░░░░ piece as well uh ░░░░░░░░ is pretty damning then ░░░░░░░░ s this the headline ░░░░░░░░ York Times this is ░░░░░░░░ this week a weary ░░░░░░░░ weary Biden heads for ░░░░░░░░ exits this is the ░░░░░░░░ of Mr Biden s ░░░░░░░░ the final days of ░░░░░░░░ final chapter of an ░░░░░░░░ half century political Journey ░░░░░░░░ has more than its ░░░░░░░░ of twists and turns ░░░░░░░░ is catching up with ░░░░░░░░ Biden he looks a ░░░░░░░░ older and a little ░░░░░░░░ with each passing day ░░░░░░░░ say he remains plenty ░░░░░░░░ in the Situation Room ░░░░░░░░ world leaders to broker ░░░░░░░░ ceasefire in Lebanon or ░░░░░░░░ deal with the chaos ░░░░░░░░ Syria s Rebellion but ░░░░░░░░ is hard to imagine ░░░░░░░░ he seriously thought he ░░░░░░░░ do the world s ░░░░░░░░ stressful job for another ░░░░░░░░ years okay I know ░░░░░░░░ s a lot of ░░░░░░░░ that I read but ░░░░░░░░ s what s got ░░░░░░░░ thinking about the fact ░░░░░░░░ I probably should have ░░░░░░░░ harder on the Biden ░░░░░░░░ stuff um because in ░░░░░░░░ it s clear that ░░░░░░░░ people close to him ░░░░░░░░ that at best he ░░░░░░░░ some good days and ░░░░░░░░ bad days um June ░░░░░░░░ the debate clearly was ░░░░░░░░ bad day but if ░░░░░░░░ bad day was that ░░░░░░░░ as bad as he ░░░░░░░░ on that debate stage ░░░░░░░░ fact that he had ░░░░░░░░ president without a whole ░░░░░░░░ of questions being asked ░░░░░░░░ his physical and mental ░░░░░░░░ and I ll add ░░░░░░░░ fact that he continued ░░░░░░░░ be president from June ░░░░░░░░ until January 20th 2025 ░░░░░░░░ I think is a ░░░░░░░░ bit concerning and begs ░░░░░░░░ question of like what ░░░░░░░░ did people near him ░░░░░░░░ what did they know ░░░░░░░░ why did they not ░░░░░░░░ I get protecting um ░░░░░░░░ s privacy but he ░░░░░░░░ the president in the ░░░░░░░░ States right like this ░░░░░░░░ t this isn t ░░░░░░░░ your grandpa who you ░░░░░░░░ to like take the ░░░░░░░░ from but you re ░░░░░░░░ to his car but ░░░░░░░░ re not totally sure ░░░░░░░░ to approach it this ░░░░░░░░ the sitting president of ░░░░░░░░ United States who will ░░░░░░░░ to be after June ░░░░░░░░ was the president for ░░░░░░░░ six months um and ░░░░░░░░ don t know how ░░░░░░░░ far back signs of ░░░░░░░░ physical and mental decline ░░░░░░░░ and again I don ░░░░░░░░ put it just on ░░░░░░░░ or or just on ░░░░░░░░ cuz I know journalists ░░░░░░░░ ask and I can ░░░░░░░░ you I mean I ░░░░░░░░ from my experience there ░░░░░░░░ a shame factor that ░░░░░░░░ into that people around ░░░░░░░░ worked to make you ░░░░░░░░ bad when you asked ░░░░░░░░ he would was up ░░░░░░░░ the job of running ░░░░░░░░ being president running for ░░░░░░░░ again and serving as ░░░░░░░░ for another four years ░░░░░░░░ could you uh you ░░░░░░░░ and they did a ░░░░░░░░ good job at least ░░░░░░░░ they couldn t hide ░░░░░░░░ anymore of hiding it ░░░░░░░░ uh making it so ░░░░░░░░ it was very hard ░░░░░░░░ know yes but he ░░░░░░░░ t do a lot ░░░░░░░░ press conference yes he ░░░░░░░░ t do a lot ░░░░░░░░ media interviews but you ░░░░░░░░ when he did things ░░░░░░░░ thing I always remembers ░░░░░░░░ gave the State of ░░░░░░░░ Union speech this earlier ░░░░░░░░ year and he was ░░░░░░░░ um there were no ░░░░░░░░ signs of the CL ░░░░░░░░ mean yes he looked ░░░░░░░░ a 70 you know ░░░░░░░░ 80y old guy but ░░░░░░░░ didn t it didn ░░░░░░░░ I wasn t like ░░░░░░░░ man cannot in under ░░░░░░░░ circumstances be president so ░░░░░░░░ did a good job ░░░░░░░░ hiding it for a ░░░░░░░░ time but journalists and ░░░░░░░░ put myself here you ░░░░░░░░ got to we we ░░░░░░░░ have been pushier uh ░░░░░░░░ should have I should ░░░░░░░░ I don t want ░░░░░░░░ speak for everyone I ░░░░░░░░ have not let the ░░░░░░░░ campaign to make you ░░░░░░░░ bad for asking the ░░░░░░░░ get to me um ░░░░░░░░ it s now clear ░░░░░░░░ both The Wall Street ░░░░░░░░ and The New York ░░░░░░░░ piece that there was ░░░░░░░░ deterioration even before and ░░░░░░░░ the way all the ░░░░░░░░ that we ve seen ░░░░░░░░ the June 27th debate ░░░░░░░░ s not just these ░░░░░░░░ stories that there was ░░░░░░░░ and significant decline in ░░░░░░░░ Biden and that it ░░░░░░░░ being managed by the ░░░░░░░░ around him they were ░░░░░░░░ him they were keeping ░░░░░░░░ of the world the ░░░░░░░░ world out and keeping ░░░░░░░░ sort of bunkered in ░░░░░░░░ that should have been ░░░░░░░░ we knew more about ░░░░░░░░ you know you can ░░░░░░░░ all what does it ░░░░░░░░ Biden eventually got out ░░░░░░░░ the race it s ░░░░░░░░ like he sure sure ░░░░░░░░ he been the president ░░░░░░░░ the last four years ░░░░░░░░ it s critically important ░░░░░░░░ we ve learned by ░░░░░░░░ way you know questions ░░░░░░░░ presidential Health mental and ░░░░░░░░ health whether it s ░░░░░░░░ Reagan or Kennedy or ░░░░░░░░ we ve seen a ░░░░░░░░ of that Trump um ░░░░░░░░ know we ve seen ░░░░░░░░ lot of this where ░░░░░░░░ is a lack of ░░░░░░░░ so we need to ░░░░░░░░ our lesson I think ░░░░░░░░ you know we Donald ░░░░░░░░ Trump s going to ░░░░░░░░ into office in his ░░░░░░░░ 70s we know very ░░░░░░░░ about his medical history ░░░░░░░░ think we as journalists ░░░░░░░░ to keep asking questions ░░░░░░░░ you seen any signs ░░░░░░░░ his me mental or ░░░░░░░░ decline now his AIDS ░░░░░░░░ just say no he ░░░░░░░░ great 100 but keep ░░░░░░░░ uh if there are ░░░░░░░░ signs there will be ░░░░░░░░ people who are worried ░░░░░░░░ it and we should ░░░░░░░░ gotten to those people ░░░░░░░░ Biden more and more ░░░░░░░░ to accurate accurately represent ░░░░░░░░ was happening in the ░░░░░░░░ House and then let ░░░░░░░░ public make up their ░░░░░░░░ mind but I think ░░░░░░░░ least for the first ░░░░░░░░ years of his presidency ░░░░░░░░ the first three years ░░░░░░░░ image of him as ░░░░░░░░ older but hail and ░░░░░░░░ older man prevailed and ░░░░░░░░ m not sure based ░░░░░░░░ these two stories the ░░░░░░░░ story and the time ░░░░░░░░ I ll Link to ░░░░░░░░ uh below but also ░░░░░░░░ all the reporting we ░░░░░░░░ seen since June 27th ░░░░░░░░ the debate I m ░░░░░░░░ sure that that was ░░░░░░░░ accurate in fact I ░░░░░░░░ t think at all ░░░░░░░░ was an accurate depiction ░░░░░░░░ his physical and mental ░░░░░░░░ uh even if he ░░░░░░░░ good days and bad ░░░░░░░░ well he had bad ░░░░░░░░ and those bad days ░░░░░░░░ pretty bad and when ░░░░░░░░ re the president of ░░░░░░░░ United States you don ░░░░░░░░ get to have good ░░░░░░░░ and bad days you ░░░░░░░░ to have a consistently ░░░░░░░░ in terms of your ░░░░░░░░ cognitive abilities your physical ░░░░░░░░ you got to have ░░░░░░░░ days um and so ░░░░░░░░ think it s a ░░░░░░░░ that we have to ░░░░░░░░ going forward because again ░░░░░░░░ Trump will be the ░░░░░░░░ person ever to hold ░░░░░░░░ office if he serves ░░░░░░░░ 4 years um and ░░░░░░░░ will be mindful of ░░░░░░░░ because again asking those ░░░░░░░░ isn t a partisan ░░░░░░░░ asking those questions is ░░░░░░░░ journalism thing and I ░░░░░░░░ have pushed harder um ░░░░░░░░ not been as willing ░░░░░░░░ accept the now he ░░░░░░░░ fine look at him ░░░░░░░░ he s in public ░░░░░░░░ and I did um ░░░░░░░░ I m always want ░░░░░░░░ be as authentic honest ░░░░░░░░ transparent with you as ░░░░░░░░ this is part of ░░░░░░░░ effort um four things ░░░░░░░░ to this channel uh ░░░░░░░░ this video comment on ░░░░░░░░ video tell 10 friends ░░░░░░░░ my Channel all right ░░░░░░░░ take care