The extent of the media’s alleged cover-up regarding former President Joe Biden’s mental health and his son Hunter Biden’s legal troubles is coming under scrutiny, as highlighted in a recent Fox News report. Critics have long accused legacy media outlets of shielding Biden from unfavorable coverage, particularly concerning his family’s financial dealings and his cognitive decline, which became evident during the 2020 presidential campaign and contributed to his decision to withdraw from the 2024 race.
The report indicates that efforts to protect Biden from criticism began as early as May 2019, during the Democratic primary for the 2020 election. Marc Caputo, a former Politico reporter, revealed in a podcast interview that he had written a story about Hunter Biden’s tax lien related to his work with the Ukrainian energy company Burisma. However, he claimed that editors killed the story without providing justification.
By October 2020, as Biden gained momentum in the polls against then-incumbent President Trump, the New York Post published a bombshell report about Hunter Biden’s laptop, which contained information about his foreign business dealings and potential ties to his father. Caputo recounted his attempts to cover the laptop story, only to be told by Politico’s management to avoid discussing it altogether. The only coverage Politico provided was framed under the headline suggesting the story was part of a Russian disinformation campaign, citing an open letter from 51 intelligence officials.
During the second presidential debate, Biden dismissed the New York Post’s report as a “Russian plant,” further distancing himself from the allegations surrounding his son. The media’s reluctance to cover the laptop story extended beyond Politico; leaked audio from a CNN conference call revealed that top executives instructed staff not to report on it.
Tara Palmeri, another former Politico reporter, expressed frustration over the slow pace of reporting on Hunter Biden’s legal issues, suggesting that the story might have been published sooner if it involved a member of the Trump family. She noted that her thorough investigation into Hunter’s gun incident took three months to complete, indicating a higher standard of scrutiny for stories involving the Biden family.
Concerns about Biden’s health have also been a topic of discussion, with reports indicating that White House staff had to manage his “good days and bad days” as early as spring 2021. Observations from reporters suggested that Biden appeared “stiff” and “old,” and that he often provided brief responses to questions, as if he had been “coached.”
The Wall Street Journal reported that administration officials recognized the need to adjust Biden’s demanding schedule to accommodate his age, noting that he would become fatigued after lengthy meetings and occasionally make mistakes.
As these revelations come to light, they raise questions about the role of the media in shaping public perception and the extent to which political figures are protected from scrutiny. The ongoing discourse surrounding Biden’s mental health and Hunter Biden’s legal issues continues to fuel debate about transparency and accountability in politics.
