Impolitic with John Heilemann Jake Tapper & Alex Thompson: Joe Biden's Sins & His Party's Penance
10 snips
May 23, 2025 
Jake Tapper, CNN's Washington anchor and author of 'Original Sin', joins Alex Thompson, Axios's national political correspondent, to dissect Biden's presidency and the controversies in their new book. They discuss the cover-up surrounding Biden's declining health and the rising conspiracy theories following his prostate cancer announcement. The conversation dives into the Democratic Party's struggles with transparency and the implications of Biden’s age on the 2024 election, revealing internal dynamics and media scrutiny amid growing public skepticism.
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Media Must Acknowledge Biden's Decline
- Some right-wing claims about Biden's mental decline held truth, especially around 2019-2020.
- This necessitates humility in media coverage, but extreme conspiracy claims remain false.
Biden Family's Culture of Denial
- The Biden family has a culture of denial about inconvenient truths, especially regarding health issues.
- This denial can justify hiding significant problems, as seen in Beau Biden's cancer and Joe Biden's recent diagnosis.
Debate Revealed Biden's Struggles
- Jake Tapper witnessed firsthand Biden's struggle during the abortion debate answer, including mental jumps and confusion.
- Tapper was shocked by how unrecognizable Biden appeared during this critical moment.
