Former NBC host Chuck Todd defended the mainstream media’s coverage of former President Joe Biden’s cognitive health, claiming that the press did not ignore signs of mental decline. Speaking during a recent panel discussion, Todd pushed back against criticism that major outlets failed to investigate or report on Biden’s growing cognitive lapses during his presidency. His comments come amid a rising chorus of voices questioning the former president’s mental fitness, many of whom accuse the media’s coverage of downplaying serious concerns.
Todd insisted that signs of Biden’s mental deterioration were reported, but “not in the way some people wanted.” He suggested that critics are retroactively accusing the press of silence due to dissatisfaction with Biden’s leadership and performance during his short-lived reelection campaign. Todd’s remarks were widely criticized by conservative commentators, who argue the corporate media shielded Biden from scrutiny to secure Democrat electoral success.
Biden’s public missteps, verbal stumbles, and frequent confusion during speeches became increasingly frequent as his term went on, and harder to ignore. Even Democratic donors and political insiders raised alarms about the Biden’s age and apparent decline. However, this was largely after the extent of the former president’s decline was laid bare on national TV during the first 2024 general election debate. Conservative outlets have long highlighted these issues, pointing to selective editing and protective coverage from networks like NBC, CNN, and ABC.
Despite repeated evidence of cognitive issues, the establishment media maintained a pattern of avoiding in-depth medical scrutiny or analysis. Instead, many focused on President Trump’s rhetoric and legal troubles, leaving Biden’s competency underreported.
Public trust in the media continues to erode, particularly among conservatives who view the press as a partisan institution. As one commentator bluntly put it, “The media didn’t just miss the story—they buried it.”
