Journalists and media outlets have been bolstering Joe Biden’s basement strategy, allowing the Democrat to largely avoid tough questions. Well, he got one on Wednesday as CBS This Morning reporter Errol Barnett pressed him on cognitive decline.
The presumptive Democratic nominee offered a bizarre response, talking about cocaine and then asking Barnett, “Are you a junkie?” Will ABC, NBC and other outlets do their jobs and follow-up on this bewildering comment?
CBS This Morning’s hosts clearly knew they had a scoop. Vlad Duthiers told Barnett, “The former Vice President seemed to bristle at the question.” Here’s the question in full: “Vice President Biden previously said in June he's always cognitively tested on the campaign trail. But I had a more specific question [for him.]... Please clarify, specifically, have you taken a cognitive test?”
And here is Biden’s unnerving response:
No, I haven't taken a test. Why the hell would I take a test? Come on, man. That's like saying, before you got in this program, you take a test where you're taking cocaine or not. What do you think? Huh? Are you a junkie? [Starts to laugh.]
“Are you a junkie?” Imagine if Trump had said that to an African American journalist. Where's the press outrage on Biden doing it? Also, the question must now be asked by reporters: Did Biden lie when he suggested in June that he regularly takes cognitive tests? Or is he lying now? Both can’t be true.
Not rattled at all, Barnett followed-up: “What do you say to President Trump who brags about his tests and makes your mental state an issue for voters?” An annoyed Biden insisted, “Come on, man! I know you're trying to goad me.”
Barnett tried to get more on the cocaine insinuation, but so far with no luck: “Now we asked the Biden campaign this morning if they wanted to add any additional context to those remarks, specifically comparing a mental test to being tested for cocaine. The campaign has not yet responded.”
Considering that journalists jump on every Trump gaffe or bizarre statement, journalists have a responsibility to follow up on this and ask more questions about Biden and cognitive decline.
A transcript of the segment is below. Click expand to read the full transcript.
CBS This Morning
8/5/2020
8:08 AM ETVLAD DUTHIERS: In a presidential election where both candidates are well over 70, each has questioned the other's mental agility. Our own Errol Barnett asked the presumptive Democratic nominee, Joe Biden, about that. Errol, good morning again. So the former vice president seemed to bristle at that question.
ERROL BARNETT: That's right. Good morning. You know, we had an opportunity to speak to the vice president as part of the convention for National Association for Black and Hispanic Journalists which is kicking off today. We covered a wide range of topics. But as you know, President Trump has made his mental ability and agility a campaign topic. And Vice President Biden previously said in June he's always confidently tested on the campaign trail. But I had a more specific question. Here's the exchange: Please clarify specifically, have you taken a cognitive test?
JOE BIDEN: No, I haven't taken a test. Why the hell would I take a test? Come on, man. That's like saying, before you got in this program you take a test where you're taking cocaine or not. What do you think? Huh? Are you a junkie? [Starts to laugh.]
BARNETT: What do you say to President Trump who brags about his tests and makes your mental state an issue for voters?
BIDEN: Well, if he can't figure out the difference between an elephant and a lion, I don't know what the hell he's talking about. Did you watch that happen — come on, man. I know you're trying to goad me. But I mean, I'm so forward looking to have an opportunity to sit with the President or stand with the President in the debates.
BARNETT: Now we asked the Biden campaign this morning if they wanted to add any additional context to those remarks, specifically comparing a mental test to being tested for cocaine. The campaign has not yet responded. The vice president will hold a number of virtual events this afternoon, including one with Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, one of his potential VP picks. And we expect an announcement on that front in the coming days. Vlad?
DUTHIERS: Yeah, Errol, I think one of the important points that he made in your interview with him is he said that he's looking forward to debating the president of the United States. Something that some of his supporters have said probably would not happen, that he wasn't interested in doing that. Errol Barnett, good to see you, my friend. Thank you very much for that.
