Anyone with just an ounce of common sense could realize that over the past several years, especially this year, President Joe Biden was not the same man he was ten or even five years ago. During the last few years of his presidency, the president would often have trouble stringing sentences together and recalling key names and events that were important for someone in his position to remember.

Biden also had issues walking up stairs without tripping and would sometimes get lost on stage after making a speech. Anyone who was honest with themselves saw the glaring issue that the president was struggling with: cognitive decline. But not everyone wanted to admit this. There were plenty of people on the Left or in the mainstream media who outright denied Biden’s condition or lied to themselves about it. But one event during the 2024 presidential election cycle made it impossible for these people to lie about or avoid discussing Biden’s cognitive decline.

That event of course was the June debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. There were several moments during the debate when Biden would freeze up while giving an answer or would sound incoherent while mumbling his was through a rebuttal to Trump or a response to the moderators. After the debate, it was time for those on the Left or in the media to finally tell the truth about President Biden’s mental faculties.

For months and years they were lying or even outright gaslighting the American people that Joe Biden was perfectly fine. Even the White House, through Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre’s press conferences, would tell Americans that any video of Biden looking confused on stage or during a speech was simply a video that was deceptively edited. But most U.S. citizens knew the truth. And they knew that the establishment political class on the Left and the mainstream media were doing all they could to lie about the president.

One journalist for CBS News is finally coming out now and expressing just how poorly the media covered Biden’s cognitive decline. And while most people would think that’s an incredibly obvious statement, at least someone who works in the media is willing to say it in public.

CBS Correspondent Calls Out Media for Ignoring Biden’s Cognitive Decline

CBS News National and Legal correspondent Jan Crawford made waves during a panel discussion on the network’s Sunday morning show Face the Nation when she addressed what she believed was the most overlooked story of 2024: President Joe Biden’s “obvious cognitive decline.” The conversation was prompted by guest host and chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett, who asked the panel to reflect on stories that had gone unreported or under-reported throughout the year. Crawford’s response was swift and candid.

Outkick founder Clay Travis later shared a clip of the exchange on social media, captioning it with sharp criticism of the media: “CBS News journalist roundtable says Joe Biden’s clear mental and physical decline was the most underreported story of 2024. But true self-reflection would demand the question — why was that? The answer is because most legacy media are Democrat propagandists.”

CBS News journalist roundtable says Joe Biden’s clear mental and physical decline was the most underreported story of 2024. But true self reflection would demands question — why was that? The answer is because most legacy media are Democrat propagandists. pic.twitter.com/mVQzfpUxUv

— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) December 30, 2024

Crawford began by stating, “Under-covered and under-reported, that would be, to me, Joe Biden’s obvious cognitive decline that became undeniable in the televised debate.” Garrett pressed for clarification: “At the presidential debate with Donald Trump?” “Unquestioned,” Crawford confirmed, going on to explain that reports have since surfaced — including coverage in The Wall Street Journal — detailing how Biden’s advisers actively managed his limitations throughout his presidency. Despite these efforts, Biden had insisted he was capable of running for another term.

“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. It could have changed the scope of the entire election,” Crawford remarked. She further suggested that the media’s failure to address the issue played a role in the Democrats’ 2024 loss.

Crawford highlighted a recent piece in The Washington Post reporting that Biden, despite stepping aside, regretted dropping out of the race and believed he could have defeated Donald Trump. “And I think that is either delusional or they’re gaslighting the American people,” she said. Robert Costa, another panelist, weighed in by reiterating Biden’s and his team’s consistent stance. “President Biden has said repeatedly he was sick during the debate June 27th in Atlanta. And he’s always been fine and he leaves [office] fine. That is his position, the position of many of his top aides as well, even though there is that reporting,” Costa noted.

Why This Story Highlights America’s Media Trust Crisis

This exchange shows a deeper issue plaguing American media: a widespread lack of trust. Crawford’s admission — that such a pivotal story about the sitting president was downplayed or ignored — raises serious questions about journalistic integrity and bias. When legacy media outlets fail to thoroughly examine critical issues like a president’s fitness for office, it feeds the perception that they prioritize partisan narratives over objective reporting.

Many Americans feel that the media selectively amplifies stories that align with their political leanings while burying or downplaying those that do not. In this case, Crawford’s comments highlight how the media’s reluctance to address Biden’s cognitive health could have deprived voters of crucial information before the 2024 election. Such omissions erode public confidence, as people begin to see the press not as watchdogs of democracy but as players in a political game.

This story also illustrates how the media’s choices can have real-world consequences. If Biden’s fitness for office had been more thoroughly scrutinized, it might have changed the trajectory of the Democratic Party’s strategy — potentially leading to a different nominee and a different election outcome. At a time when trust in the media is at historic lows, stories like this one only deepen the divide between Americans and the institutions meant to keep them informed. If journalists wish to rebuild that trust, they must commit to reporting the facts — even when those facts are inconvenient for their preferred narratives.

Do you think Joe Biden’s cognitive decline was underreported? What’s your current trust level with the mainstream media? Let us know down in the comments below!