Former CNN political analyst Chris Cillizza expressed regret on Thursday for not addressing concerns about President Joe Biden’s mental and physical health sooner. Cillizza’s admission comes after years of corporate media downplaying Republican and voter concerns about Biden’s fitness for office. The acknowledgment follows Biden’s June debate performance against former President Donald Trump, which intensified scrutiny of the president’s capabilities.
On his YouTube channel, Cillizza reflected on his time at CNN, where he worked until 2022. “As a reporter, I have a confession to make: I should have pushed harder earlier for more information about Joe Biden’s mental and physical well-being and any signs of decline,” he admitted. Cillizza noted that during Biden’s presidency from 2020 to 2024, he frequently received questions from Republicans about Biden’s age and mental sharpness.
“People would regularly — Republicans would regularly ping me and say, ‘Why don’t you ask more questions of Joe Biden and how he’s doing? He’s [a] 76, 77, 78-year-old man,’” Cillizza said. He explained that at the time, he dismissed these concerns, believing there was no clear evidence of decline. “Yeah, he moves a little slower, he talks a little slower, but there’s no evidence that he’s declining,” he recalled thinking.
Cillizza also revealed that pressure from the White House influenced his reluctance to question Biden’s health. Biden’s aides labeled such inquiries as “age shaming” and deemed them offensive. “That impacted me at some level,” he admitted. Although he occasionally raised the issue, he conceded that he didn’t push hard enough.
After leaving CNN, Cillizza began to voice his concerns more openly. Recent articles by The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal about Biden’s decline prompted Cillizza to apologize. The New York Times reported that White House aides described Biden as “weary, frail, and moody,” while the Wall Street Journal detailed how Biden’s staff managed his duties amid growing concerns about his competence.
In August 2021, while still at CNN, Cillizza criticized Republicans for raising concerns about Biden’s health, calling it “gross, lowest-common-denominator politics.” He challenged Republicans to provide evidence of Biden’s decline or stop making such claims. Now, his shift in perspective underscores a growing acknowledgment in the media of the need to address legitimate concerns about the president’s fitness for office.
The admission highlights broader questions about media integrity and the responsibility to report on issues that impact national leadership. As discussions about Biden’s health continue, Cillizza’s regret serves as a reminder of the importance of objective and persistent journalism.
