Alex Thompson on Biden's Decline and Media's Role in Covering It

The Book "Original Sin"

• ✍️ Alex Thompson, co-author of "Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again," discusses the book with TYT.
• 🎯 The book, co-authored with Jake Tapper, explores the severity of President Biden's physical and cognitive decline during his presidency.
• 🗓️ Thompson highlights that the Biden of 2023 was significantly different from the Biden of 2020, necessitating a deeper look into his capabilities.

Mainstream Media's Coverage Failures

• 📰 Thompson criticizes the mainstream media for largely ignoring or downplaying Biden's cognitive decline, calling it a significant media failure.
• 🗣️ He notes that while some aspects of Biden's age were mentioned as a political liability, the media failed to investigate how his age affected his ability to perform his job.
• 🏢 The media's reporting was influenced by factors such as ideological leanings, being in a liberal "company town" like Washington D.C., and a lack of social reward for tough coverage of Democratic figures.

The "Establishment" and Outsiders

• 🛡️ Cenk Uygur argues that mainstream media acts as enforcers of the establishment, smearing outsiders who challenge the status quo.
• 🚫 He points to the treatment of figures like Marianne Williamson and Dean Phillips as examples of how the media dismisses those who question the establishment.
• 🧐 Thompson acknowledges that some in the media are too close to power and that coverage of figures like Dean Phillips was insufficient.

The Cover-Up and Key Players

• 🤫 Thompson details how those closest to the Biden administration, including Jill Biden and top aides like Anthony Bernal, restricted access to hide the extent of Biden's decline.
• 🔑 Key individuals involved in managing access and potentially the cover-up include Jill Biden, Anthony Bernal, Annie Thomasini, Ashley Williams, Steve Rashetti, Mike Donilan, and Bruce Reed.
• 🏛️ The limited access granted to these individuals is described as extraordinary compared to most modern presidents.

Who Is Actually Running the Country?

• ❓ With Biden's limitations, questions arise about who is truly in charge, with cabinet members and senior staff wielding significant power.
• 🇺🇸 In foreign policy, Antony Blinken and Jake Sullivan were the most powerful figures, while Steve Rashetti and Bruce Reed held significant sway in domestic policy.
• 📊 Mike Donilan was central to Biden's political agenda, with Anita Dunn also playing a key role in communications.

Access and Media's Role

• 🤝 The "access game" in Washington D.C. influences journalists' decisions, with politicians increasingly seeking out outlets that offer softer coverage.
• ⚖️ Thompson believes there is still an important role for mainstream reporters, acknowledging that mistakes happen and accountability is necessary.
• 📺 He differentiates between cable news, which he views as a "wasteland of propaganda," and actual investigative journalism from outlets like AP and Reuters.