Jake Tapper admits he didn't cover Biden's cognitive decline enough, claims to 'look back on it with humility'
Tapper appeared on his network Wednesday morning while promoting his new book, "Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again," set to be released next week. He was asked what he made of his conservative critics who've been speaking out against him and the rest of the media over their lack of coverage exposing Biden's mental acuity while he was in office.
"I think some of the criticism is fair, to be honest, of me," Tapper responded. "Certainly I'm not going to speak for anybody else, but knowing then what I know now, I look back at my coverage during the Biden years and I did cover some of these issues, but not enough. I look back on it with humility."
Jake Tapper's Past Coverage Of Biden's Cognitive Decline Under Scrutiny Ahead Of His New Book
Tapper went on to say that he and his co-author Alex Thompson learned through their reporting after the election that there were "two Bidens" around 2019-2020, one that was "perfectly workable" and the other one being "non-functioning." The latter, Tapper said, "reared his head increasingly" throughout his presidency.
"And look, while it was very important – and I'm not dismissing the coverage of Biden tripping on stage or falling off his bike, that was obviously indicative of something serious that was going on – I think what we learned about the non-functioning Biden rearing his head increasingly, not being able to come up with the name of George Clooney, not being able to come up with the name of top aides in the White House," Tapper told his CNN colleague John Berman.
Read On The Fox News App
"I think that really reveals something even more significant, something even more disturbing, about a president that was not what we, the American people, should expect and be able to demand, which is somebody who is there with it 24/7, there for the 2 A.M. emergency phone call in the middle of the night," Tapper added.
Shielding Biden: Journalists Shed Light On The Media's Cover-up Of A Weakened President
Fox News Digital published a report Wednesday that outlined the coverage he dedicated to Biden leading up to his disastrous debate performance that forced him out of the 2024 presidential race.
His most aggressive coverage took place in February 2024 in the wake of Biden's press conference responding in outrage to the Hur report. Special Counsel Robert Hur declined to bring charges against Biden in the classified documents case because he determined a jury would not convict someone perceived as an "elderly man with a poor memory," based on his interview with investigators.
In interviews with Biden during the 2020 campaign and during his presidency, Tapper broached the subject of his age. However, he pumped the brakes on covering Biden's cognitive decline in the heat of the 2024 election cycle, avoiding coverage of the viral moments showing Biden freezing or wandering off, which at the time the Biden White House dubbed "cheap fakes."
Tapper similarly ignored Biden's "Where's Jackie?" gaffe from September 2022 when he called out for the late Rep. Jackie Walorski, R-Ind., at an event honoring her memory after she died in a tragic car accident weeks prior.
Ex-cnn Journalist Speaks Out On Biden Cover-up, Says White House Aides Made It Difficult On Press
Tapper also repeatedly defended Biden from his critics. In September 2023, Tapper asserted that Biden was mentally "sharp" while discussing Nikki Haley demanding cognitive tests for older politicians, suggesting that questions swirling around the president were only about whether he was "physically" able to do the job.
And in March 2024, following Biden's high-energy State of the Union address filled with shouting and attacking Republicans, Tapper took a swipe at the president's conservative critics who previously accused him of being "weak" and "senile."
"He certainly seemed like an 81-year-old, but he didn't seem incapable of doing the job," Tapper told his panel before dismissing "Weekend at Bernie's" comparisons from the right.
A spokesperson for CNN strongly pushed back at the notion that Tapper offered insufficient coverage of the Biden scandal before the debate.
"Jake Tapper is a veteran journalist whose tenacious and thorough reporting has held those in power to account on both sides of the aisle for decades," the spokesperson told Fox News Digital. "He fairly and accurately covered Senator, Vice President and President Biden through years of dogged Washington reporting, hitting every high and low of the former president's political career."
The CNN spokesperson continued, "From the campaign in 2020 to 2024 when he dropped out, Jake raised concerns about President Biden's mental stamina on his shows, questioned Biden officials directly about his health on air, and consistently encouraged open discussion and debate on the issue."
Fox News' Hanna Panreck contributed to this report.Original article source: Jake Tapper admits he didn't cover Biden's cognitive decline enough, claims to 'look back on it with humility'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
17 minutes ago
- Newsweek
US Work Visa Update as Marco Rubio Announces New Pause
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday announced that commercial truck driving work visas are being paused, "effective immediately." Why It Matters The move comes as federal and Transportation Department investigators probed a deadly Florida highway crash involving a truck driver from India whom prosecutors charged in the deaths of three people. The announcement echoes earlier administration actions to tighten English-language enforcement for commercial drivers and followed recent orders from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to increase oversight. What To Know Taking to X, Rubio posted, "Effective immediately we are pausing all issuance of worker visas for commercial truck drivers." "The increasing number of foreign drivers operating large tractor-trailer trucks on U.S. roads is endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers," Rubio added. President Donald Trump signed an executive order in April directing the enforcement of English-proficiency rules for commercial drivers. "President Trump believes that English is a non-negotiable safety requirement for professional drivers, as they should be able to read and understand traffic signs; communicate with traffic safety officers, border patrol, agricultural checkpoints, and cargo weight-limit station personnel; and provide and receive feedback and directions in English," the order said in part. A spokesperson for the State Department told Newsweek via email that the pause is for applicants who wish to operate commercial trucks with H-2B, E-2 and EB-3 visa classifications. "The Department will take all necessary steps to protect public safety, including on America's roads. This pause will remain in place while the Department of State, in coordination with the Departments of Labor and Homeland Security, makes any necessary updates to its screening and vetting protocols," the spokesperson added. This month in St. Lucie County, Florida, Harjinder Singh was charged with three counts of vehicular homicide, accused of attempting an illegal U-turn while driving a commercial semitruck, Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) investigators said. Three people in a minivan died in the crash. FHP said Singh entered the country illegally via the Mexico border in 2018 and obtained a commercial driver's license in California. Press release relating to the truck driver charged for vehicular homicide: — FLHSMV (@FLHSMV) August 17, 2025 What People Are Saying Florida Governor Ron DeSantis posted to X on Monday: "Illegal alien issued CDL by California. Doesn't even speak English. Sanctuary policies are deadly. Must hold the illegal alien accountable but also the other actors involved including the company." Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted to X on Thursday: "Non-enforcement and radical immigration policies have turned the trucking industry into a lawless frontier. @USDOT is committed to cleaning it up. Thanks to @POTUS, all truck drivers MUST be able to speak and read English or they WILL be put out of service. If you don't understand the language, you can't understand the laws. End of discussion." Immigration lawyer Nicolette Glazer posted to X on Thursday: "This is such BS! There are very few 'work visas' issued to commercial truck drivers, probably in the few hundreds, if that, a year. The reason? They don't really fit in the H2B because the shortage is not seasonal or temporary and other than for carriers from MX or Canada w transborder MCs, not likely to fit them in the transfer categories." What Happens Next It is immediately unknown how long the pause will last or if the Trump administration will add more restrictions to it.
Los Angeles Times
an hour ago
- Los Angeles Times
‘He's trying to rig the election.' Newsom bashes Trump as redistricting campaign kicks off
SACRAMENTO — Moments after California lawmakers passed a plan designed to undercut attempts by the president and fellow Republicans to keep control of Congress, Gov. Gavin Newsom said the state's proposed partisan redistricting that favors Democrats is a necessary counterweight to President Trump's threat to American democracy. Trump's assault on vote by mail and decision to send the military into U.S. cities are evidence of his authoritarian policies, and California must do its part to keep him in check, Newsom said. By deploying federal immigration agents in roving street raids and activating thousands of members of the National Guard in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., Newsom said, Trump is amassing 'a private army for Donald Trump.' 'He's trying to rig the election, he's trying to set up the conditions where he can claim that the elections were not won fair and square,' Newsom said. 'Open your eyes to what is going on in the United States of America in 2025.' The argument is a preview of the messaging for the ballot measure campaign that Newsom and his Democratic Party allies will be running over the next 74 days. On Thursday, California lawmakers signed off on a Nov. 4 special election that will put partisan redistricting in front of California voters. The ballot measure, called Proposition 50, will ask voters to discard the congressional boundaries drawn by the state's independent redistricting commission in 2021 in favor of partisan districts that could boot as many as five California Republicans out of Congress. 'When all things are equal, and we're all playing by the same set of rules,' Newsom said, 'there's no question that the Republican Party will be the minority party in the House of Representatives next year.' California is 'responding to what occurred in Texas, we're neutralizing what occurred, and we're giving the American people a fair chance,' Newsom said. National Republican Congressional Committee Chair Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina accused Newsom of trying to 'rig' the system to advance his own political career. 'Instead of fixing the homelessness, crime, drug, and cost crises crushing the Golden State, Gavin Newsom is tearing up California's Constitution to advance his presidential ambitions,' Hudson said in a statement. California's new lines would neutralize efforts in Texas to redraw their congressional district maps to help elect five more GOP candidates in 2026. The Texas Legislature is expected to approve new district lines this week. The other option, Newsom said, is for California and Democrats to 'roll over and do nothing.' 'I think people all across the country are going to campaign here in California for this,' Newsom said. 'They recognize what's at stake. It's not just about the state of California. It's about the United States of America. It's about rigging the election. It's about completely gutting the rules.' Times staff writer Seema Mehta contributed to this report.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
The U.S. May Experience Negative Net Migration For The First Time In 50 Years. Here's What That Means For The Economy.
Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. It was just a year ago when immigrants were entering the country in droves. The narrative has quickly shifted, and the White House recently featured a CNN report on its site touting that the country is on track toward negative net migration for the first time in at least 50 years. CNN Politics Senior Analyst Harry Enten said it's possible that we see a 2.8 million year-over-year negative net migration when it's all said and done. President Donald Trump campaigned on a tight border and has delivered on that promise, but this dramatic shift will affect the economy. It's not all good, but it's not all bad, either. These are some of the realistic ways negative net migration will affect the economy. Don't Miss: The same firms that backed Uber, Venmo and eBay are investing in this pre-IPO company disrupting a $1.8T market — 'Scrolling To UBI' — Deloitte's #1 fastest-growing software company allows users to earn money on their phones. A Shrinking Workforce Removing able-bodied workers from an economy will reduce the workforce and reduce economic output. Fewer people in the workforce result in fewer products being produced and fewer services being fulfilled. However, not everyone loses from a shrinking workforce. Fewer workers give the remaining workers more leverage, which can translate into wage growth. Businesses will have to pay higher prices for workers, which can be a boon for people who feel like their salaries haven't kept up with inflation. Continuing to bring in new migrants would put downward pressure on wages due to a higher supply of workers. Some businesses may raise prices since they have to pay higher labor costs, contributing to inflation in the process. American workers should see nominal wage growth due to negative net migration, but real, inflation-adjusted wages show whether these changes will be a net benefit or setback for the typical worker's purchasing power. Trending: Kevin O'Leary Says Real Estate's Been a Smart Bet for 200 Years — Uncertainty Around Housing Costs The U.S. Census Bureau's population clock shows that there are approximately 342 million people in the country. A negative net migration of 2.8 million individuals represents a 0.1% decrease in the population. Any population decrease will reduce housing costs since fewer people are trying to buy and rent the same number of housing units. For instance, Japan housing prices have been dropping in tandem with its population decline, according to Business Insider. Negative net migration isn't the only way to address housing costs, but it can have an unintended effect. In this case, it won't be life-changing for Americans who want to become homeowners. Although housing demand decreases as populations decline, negative net migration may increase construction costs. The construction companies that hired illegal immigrants will have to turn to more expensive American workers, who will suddenly have more leverage in negotiations. Undocumented workers tend to have lower wages, according to Econofact, so American workers represent higher costs for companies. It's exactly what Trump and his advocates envisioned, but more American workers in construction may come with higher construction costs, which can lead to higher housing prices. Can negative net migrations and higher wages for Americans offset rising construction costs? We will have to wait and Taxpayers Governments rely on tax revenue to fund social programs and other initiatives for the country's welfare. When illegal immigrants are forced out of the country, it reduces the number of taxpayers. For instance, undocumented immigrants paid $96.7 billion in federal, state, and local taxes in 2022, according to a report from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. The same report said that they paid $25.7 billion in Social Security taxes. However, a negative net migration may not be detrimental to social programs like Social Security. While the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy report indicates that illegal immigrants contributed $25.7 billion to the program in 2022, Social Security collected more than $1 trillion that year. That means the contribution from illegal immigrants was less than 2.5%. Fewer undocumented immigrants also lets social programs allocate more of their existing time and resources toward U.S. citizens. The impacts of negative net migration – positive or negative – ultimately depend on who ends up leaving the country. Getting rid of productive workers will hurt the economy, but advocates for deportation claim that taxpayer funds went toward housing illegal immigrants. This rationale asserts that the savings from no longer having to house illegal immigrants can offset losses in productivity. Negative net migration isn't a clear positive or negative for the economy. There are meaningful pros and cons to the approach, and its impact on the economy and Americans will become more apparent over time. Read Next: , which provides access to a pool of short-term loans backed by residential real estate with just a $100 minimum. Image: Shutterstock This article The U.S. May Experience Negative Net Migration For The First Time In 50 Years. Here's What That Means For The Economy. originally appeared on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
