Hakeem Jeffries struggled to answer direct questions about former President Biden’s cognitive decline during a tense CNN interview, exposing what many see as a coordinated Democratic effort to hide Biden’s deteriorating condition from voters.
Key Takeaways
- Top Democrats including Jeffries and Schumer are avoiding direct questions about Biden’s mental fitness, as revealed in a forthcoming book by Jake Tapper.
- CNN anchors pressed Jeffries multiple times about an incident where Biden reportedly failed to recognize George Clooney at a fundraiser the actor was hosting.
- When confronted about Democrat leadership’s awareness of Biden’s condition, Jeffries repeatedly deflected with “we’re not looking backward” while pivoting to criticize Republican policies.
- The book “Original Sin” by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson claims Democratic leaders were aware of Biden’s decline but prioritized election optics over transparency.
- Schumer reportedly had “a plan B” in place for Biden, suggesting top Democrats were preparing for scenarios where Biden couldn’t fulfill his duties.
Jeffries’ Evasive Performance on CNN
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries faced persistent questioning from CNN anchors Wolf Blitzer and Pamela Brown about former President Biden’s cognitive decline and alleged Democratic cover-up. The interrogation stemmed from revelations in Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson’s upcoming book “Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again,” set for release on May 20. The book, based on over 200 interviews, portrays Biden as an aging president whose deteriorating mental faculties were deliberately concealed by his inner circle and party leadership.
Blitzer confronted Jeffries with a particularly troubling revelation from the book: “From the book, President Biden didn’t even recognize George Clooney at a fundraiser that the movie star was actually hosting for him. Why should voters trust Democrats when it’s clear so many in your party went to great lengths to keep Biden’s condition hidden, hidden from the public?” Jeffries’ response was revealing in its evasiveness, as he completely sidestepped addressing the specific incident or the broader allegations.
The Democratic Deflection Strategy
Both Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer have deployed nearly identical deflection tactics when questioned about Biden’s cognitive state. When pressed by reporters, Schumer abruptly cut off questions with “We’re looking forward. We have the largest Medicaid cut in front of us–” before ending with a terse “That’s it.” Similarly, Jeffries repeatedly used the phrase “We’re not looking backward. We’re looking forward at this particular moment in time” to avoid addressing the substance of the allegations.
“I can’t tell you what happened between George Clooney and President Biden that wasn’t at that event. What I can say is that we’re not looking back. We’re gonna continue to look forward because at this moment, we’ve got real problems that need to be addressed on behalf of the American people, including the Republican effort to snatch away healthcare, snatch away food assistance and hurt veterans,” Hakeem Jeffries said.
When Blitzer pressed further, asking if Jeffries personally observed Biden’s deterioration during their interactions, the Democratic leader again pivoted to discussing party support for Kamala Harris rather than providing a straightforward answer about Biden’s condition. This pattern of evasion has raised concerns about accountability and transparency among Democratic leadership.
The Larger Democratic Cover-Up
According to Tapper’s book, Democratic leaders, including Chuck Schumer, were not only aware of Biden’s cognitive decline but had contingency plans in place. Schumer reportedly had what he called “a plan B” for scenarios where Biden might be unable to fulfill his presidential duties. The book portrays Biden’s decision to run for reelection as “narcissistic and reckless,” a characterization supported by the former president’s disastrous debate performance against President Trump on June 27, which raised serious public concerns about his mental fitness.
“We’re not looking backward. We’re looking forward at this particular moment in time,” said Hakeem Jeffries,
When CNN’s Pamela Brown directly challenged Jeffries about his leadership responsibilities during Biden’s reelection decision, asking “Should you have done more at that point to intervene?” Jeffries again avoided answering, instead citing recent Democratic electoral victories as proof of voter trust. This deflection strategy has only intensified scrutiny of Democratic leadership’s role in what many consider a deliberate deception of the American public about the mental fitness of a sitting president.
The Aftermath and Political Impact
Biden’s eventual withdrawal from the race in July 2024 triggered a scramble for a new Democratic candidate, ultimately contributing to the party’s losses in the election. Political analysts now view the former president’s cognitive condition and the party’s handling of it as a significant factor in their electoral defeat. The ongoing reluctance of Democratic leaders to address these issues directly continues to undermine their credibility with voters who question whether party leadership prioritized political expediency over honest governance.
The book “Original Sin” promises to provide even more damaging details about the extent of Biden’s decline and the Democratic establishment’s efforts to conceal it from the American public. For many voters, the central question remains unanswered: if Democratic leadership was willing to hide a president’s cognitive impairment for political gain, what else might they be willing to conceal?
Sources:
- Top Democrats Dodge Questions About Biden’s Fitness Amid Bombshell Book – Newsweek
- CNN Anchors Take Turns Asking Hakeem Jeffries About Biden’s Mental Decline: ‘Why Should Voters Trust Democrats?’
- Watch Hakeem Jeffries Squirm When Pressed on Biden Cover-Up – PJ Media
