Looking back to 2024: Liberal media insists Biden remains sharp until debates expose him

Older media spent much of the first half of 2024 insisting that President Biden remains sharp and claiming that videos suggesting otherwise were He called it a “cheap fake” until his disastrous debate performance forced an immediate confrontation.

One of the biggest media stories of the year. Many long-established shops face falling out after creating another credibility crisis for the Fourth Settlement.

Most of the media sat idle. In February, following the release of special counsel Robert Hur’s scathing report on Biden’s handling of secret documents that described him as “A compassionate, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”

The New York Times used a “Republicans snap” frame when covering Biden’s reported memory problems, Jeffrey Toobin returned to CNN to insist that Hur made “unnecessary points” about Biden’s advanced age and MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow also gushed that everything was fine because Biden was still “riding his bike.”

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The legacy media spent much of the first half of 2024 insisting that President Biden was fit for another four years in the White House. (AP Photo/Ivan Vucci)

Hours after the horrifying report The president held a last-minute press conference at the White House. and still challenging He became visibly agitated when faced with questions about his age and memories. Biden declared his memory “fine,” then referred to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi as “the president of Mexico.” Biden then went off script and asked random questions from reporter This led to a contentious exchange with CNN reporter MJ Lee, who asked about Americans who were concerned about his age.

Vice President Kamala Harris later attacked Maher’s report. The term “politically motivated” and “irrational, inaccurate and inappropriate” and the word “irrational” became a talking point in the liberal media.

In June, The Wall Street Journal upset liberal experts. Publish bomb“Behind closed doors Biden shows signs of slipping,” which featured detailed interviews with more than 45 people over the course of several months who felt the president had missed a step.

The report was dismissed by many in the mainstream media and Democrats, including Nancy Pelosi, who later helped lead the charge behind the removal of the Biden ticket. Came out to complain about this on the program “Morning Joe” on MSNBC. Report announcement It’s “Trump’s point of attack on Biden,” and the left-wing media watchdog group Media Matters called the report “a misrepresentation of Trump’s attacks on Biden.” “Comedy weak.”

Oliver Darcy, a CNN media reporter at the time, was furious, writing in a left-leaning newsletter that “This story questions Biden’s mental acumen, playing into the GOP-driven narrative that the 81-year-old president is unfit to hold the nation’s highest office.”

“The Wall Street Journal owes its readers — and the general public – is better,” Darcy fumed, repeating the White House narrative that concerns about Biden’s fitness were just laundering GOP talking points. Biden dropped out of the race less than two months later.

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White House officials have confirmed that a series of videos showing President Biden are showing signs of declining mental health. It is actually a statement. “Cheap fakes” being pushed by bad actors using those videos out of context (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Later in June White House officials have confirmed that a series of videos that appear to show Biden is actually cooling off or disappearing. Then it’s words. “Cheap fakes” being pushed by bad actors Biden has been flooded with videos from various events that show him “confused.”

One video shows him turning his back on a group of world leaders at a D-Day anniversary event in France to talk to skydivers. Another video appears to show him not being sure when to sit down. And another video shows him being escorted off stage by former President Obama at a fundraiser. According to the White House This is all just a bad faith attempt to discredit Biden.

But Biden had nowhere to hide during his disastrous performance in the presidential debate with then-candidate Donald Trump on June 27. He appeared confused, blanched, struggling repeatedly to deliver. his message and lost his train of thought in the middle of a sentence many times.

The debate forced Biden’s media allies to turn on him. and everyone from pundits at CNN and MSNBC to the editors of the New York Times. Calling for him to step aside after years of insisting he was sharp

Biden and his allies blamed the debate’s disaster on colds, jet lag, fatigue and even that he was distracted by Trump speaking into a muted microphone. Finally they entered “Bad Night”, a talking point to justify the disaster

This comes after weeks of insistence from Biden and his campaign that he is still in the race. The president eventually resigned and endorsed Harris for president. She quickly wrapped up her nomination. This caused fierce competition until the end of the campaign.

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President Biden faces calls for him to step aside after disastrous debate (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

The media, which spent weeks calling for him to step aside after the debate, showered him with praise. Late-night host Stephen Colbert enthusiastically described him as “the best actor in the world.” CNN’s “Great President” Van Jones almost got emotional on air. And the liberal media’s excitement over Harris’ ascension is impossible to deny.

“What a man, what a patriot, what a selfless act of dedication to your country,” MSNBC’s Maddow said, setting the tone for how liberal pundits would react.

Even if the test eases in 2024, the media has for years ignored concerns about Biden’s readiness for office.

In 2022, one of More memorable examples It happened when White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre laughed off a question about Biden’s physical and mental well-being during an interview with CNN. Then-host Don Lemon asked, “The president is strong both physically and mentally. Do you think this will continue even after 2024?”

“Don, you’re asking me this question,” Jean-Pierre cried, clearly stunned. “Oh my God, he’s the president of the United States.”

The press secretary laughed and said she sometimes struggles to keep up with Biden.

“That’s not a question we should even be asking,” she added. “Just look at the work he’s done. And look at how he delivered it to the American public.”

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After several rude remarks about 2023, including Biden falling out at the Air Force Academy graduation ceremony in June. citing the Grand Canyon as one of He is known as the “Nine Wonders” of the world and claims he was at Ground Zero the day after 9/11 in September. Although records show he was in Washington, D.C., Harris was asked that day if the president’s age was a concern.

“I would say that age is more than a chronological fact,” Harris said in an interview at the New York Times’ Dealbook Summit in November 2023, adding that he “There was real power” during his meeting.

Harris lost to Trump on Election Day after she became the Democratic nominee without a real primary process.

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How much has changed in 2024 that really matters? New York Times published Long piece on 1/18/18 about Biden’s weakness as he prepares to resign from office.

“He looks a little older and a little slower with each passing day. Aides said he remains sharp in the situation room. They called on world leaders to broker a ceasefire in Lebanon. or dealing with the chaos of the Syrian rebellion,” the Times reported. “But it is hard to imagine that he seriously thought he would be able to carry on in the world’s most stressful job for another four years.”

Fox News Digital’s Joseph A. Wulfsohn, Andrew Mark Miller, Aubrie Spady, Jamie Joseph, Lawrence Richard and Emma Colton contributed to this report.