As the reality of Joe Biden’s cognitive decline becomes increasingly undeniable, the media’s attempts to sidestep accountability for their previous support of his narrative are growing more desperate. This moment calls for a retrospective examination of the discourse surrounding Biden’s mental acuity that was prevalent just a year ago, when the façade began to show its cracks.
In the lead-up to Biden’s fateful debate last June, Brian Stelter and his colleagues at CNN were still clinging to the notion that the videos portraying Biden as confused and elderly were mere “cheap fakes.” They argued that these clips were being manipulated and stripped of context, a claim that now seems not just implausible but bordering on the farcical. These defenders of the status quo went to great lengths to shield Biden until the truth became too glaring to ignore.
Transcript via CNN:
BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: That’s correct; we’re only in June, and already there are questions about whether the president is, let’s say, behaving appropriately in public. Just imagine where we’ll be by October. The White House press secretary has referred to “cheap fakes,” which I’ll clarify for our audience. We’ve long been concerned about AI deep fakes—computer-generated images that mislead viewers into believing something entirely false. “Cheap fakes,” however, are simpler: they are distorted videos cut in misleading ways.
This is precisely what we are witnessing. The Biden administration and campaign are understandably anxious about this issue. It’s not a fictitious concern; while some of us may watch a full 40-minute speech by Biden to grasp the context, many others are only exposed to brief, five-second clips. This discrepancy will likely shadow Biden throughout his campaign.
PHILLIP: Let’s be honest—Biden is an older man, and it’s no secret that he has awkward public moments. Why fabricate or exaggerate these instances if Republicans feel compelled to amplify their impact in voters’ minds?
NATASHA ALFORD, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: I found it quite troubling to see a moment where Biden interacted with parachuters exploited in such a manner; that video was cut unfairly. It’s deeply unjust.
Watch the clip:
After the Biden/Clooney fundraiser video emerged, CNN’s Brian Stelter eagerly endorsed the “cheap fake” narrative for the White House.
“The White House used the phrase ‘cheap fakes’… let me clarify what that means…”
We now know Biden didn’t even recognize Clooney at that event… pic.twitter.com/jjhRJL9YZ2— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) May 13, 2025
Fast forward to the present, where CNN’s Jake Tapper has now criticized the Biden White House for propagating the idea that videos showcasing Biden’s cognitive struggles are merely “cheap fakes.” Pay careful attention to the first segment of this montage:
Today, CNN’s Jake Tapper condemned the Biden administration for incorrectly labeling videos depicting Biden’s cognitive issues as “cheap fakes.”
Following Jake’s remarks are examples of his own network perpetuating the “cheap fake” narrative, dismissing legitimate concerns about Biden’s… pic.twitter.com/NoiofXLiWK— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) May 14, 2025
These media figures exhibit a stunning lack of accountability. They seem to believe they can effortlessly rewrite history, as though the past never happened.
