Veteran CBS Information reporter Jan Crawford dinged information organizations for not totally protecting President Biden’s “obvious cognitive decline” this 12 months till it grew to become unavoidable throughout his disastrous debate in opposition to Donald Trump over the summer season.
Crawford, the community’s chief authorized correspondent, insisted stronger reporting on the subject may have modified your complete election as she responded to a query from “Face the Nation” moderator Main Garrett about essentially the most underreported story in 2024.
“Undercovered and underreported, that would be, to me, Joe Biden’s obvious cognitive decline that became undeniable in the televised debate,” she mentioned on the Sunday morning present.
She then famous latest reporting by the Wall Road Journal that detailed how White Home aides coated up Biden’s psychological decline over the previous 4 years.
The explosive report says staffers fashioned a decent circle across the 82-year-old Democrat to restrict his in-person interactions.
“And yet he insisted that he could still run for president. We should have much more forcefully questioned whether he was fit for office for another four years, which could have led to a primary for the Democrats,” Crawford mentioned.
“It could have changed the scope of the entire election.”
Questions on Biden’s psychological health grew whereas his first time period dragged on as some information shops, together with The Publish, reported on his regular stream of gaffes and on-camera struggles.
Following the octogenarian’s June 27 debate during which he struggled mightily, reporting on whether or not Biden may lead the nation ramped up. He was ultimately changed because the Democratic nominee by Vice President Kamala Harris in July.
Harris in the end misplaced to Trump, who’s retaking the White Home on Jan. 20.
“Yet still, incredibly, we read in The Washington Post that his advisers are saying that he regrets that he dropped out of the race, that he thinks he could have beaten Trump,” Crawford mentioned of Biden and his staffers.
“And I think that is either delusional or they’re gaslighting the American people.”
Robert Costa, CBS Information’ chief election and marketing campaign correspondent, famous on “Face the Nation” that Biden has mentioned he was sick throughout his tough debate efficiency “and he’s always been fine and he leaves fine.”
“That is his position, the position of many of his top aides as well, even though there is that reporting,” Costa mentioned.
