Cheap Fakes: The Media's Narrative Falls Apart as Biden's Decline Becomes Evident

After months of defending President Biden's mental acuity, liberal media outlets and supporters have been forced to confront the reality of his declining cognitive abilities, exemplified by his disastrous debate performance.

President Biden's allies in the liberal media have been engaged in a persistent campaign to dismiss concerns about his mental fitness, painting a picture of a sharp and engaged leader. However, the president's recent debate performance has shattered this carefully crafted narrative, exposing the truth of his cognitive decline.

Shortly after the debate, NBC's Chuck Todd remarked, "At the end of the day, Joe Biden looks like the caricature that conservative media has been painting, and there were no clips tonight. You saw it before your eyes."

Cheap Fakes: The Media's Narrative Falls Apart as Biden's Decline Becomes Evident

This sobering assessment reflects a significant shift in the media's stance. For months, Biden's press allies have railed against any suggestion that his age or mental health could impact his ability to lead. They have dismissed viral videos showing the president appearing confused and disoriented as "cheap fakes" and have accused conservative media of spreading malicious misinformation.

In February, Special Counsel Robert Hur absolved Biden of criminal wrongdoing in handling classified documents, citing his "elderly man with a poor memory." CNN commentator Paul Begala insisted, "He's actually perfectly sharp, he's up to the job."

Cheap Fakes: The Media's Narrative Falls Apart as Biden's Decline Becomes Evident

Anderson Cooper similarly praised Biden's mental acuity after a lengthy interview, describing him as "very good."

However, the debate performance has forced even Biden's staunchest defenders to confront the undeniable evidence of his cognitive decline. Vice President Kamala Harris, who once portrayed Biden as highly competent, publicly expressed concern during the debate.

Cheap Fakes: The Media's Narrative Falls Apart as Biden's Decline Becomes Evident

Dan Pfeiffer, co-host of "Pod Save America," lamented the Hur report as a "partisan hit job." White House officials, including Harris and press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, denounced Hur's statements as "gratuitous."

In June, the Wall Street Journal published a report detailing several instances where Biden exhibited signs of slipping mental acuity in meetings with lawmakers and officials. Left-wing writer Brian Beutler called the piece an "egregious hit job," while CNN's Oliver Darcy dismissed it as "comically weak."

Cheap Fakes: The Media's Narrative Falls Apart as Biden's Decline Becomes Evident

MSNBC's Joe Scarborough declared the report a "Trump hit piece on Biden," and Media Matters called it "comically weak."

Following the debate, Wall Street Journal editor-in-chief Emma Tucker expressed vindication. "The reporters took a lot of grief for covering a story that needed to be covered and that no other main stream publishers were willing to touch," she said.

Cheap Fakes: The Media's Narrative Falls Apart as Biden's Decline Becomes Evident

In the wake of the "cheap fakes" ordeal, when Biden's press team dismissed viral videos of his apparent cognitive decline, liberal critics accused conservatives of misleading editing and even compared the videos to harmful "deepfakes." MSDNC's Nicolle Wallace condemned the "highly misleading and selectively edited videos" and called the trend "insidious."

The Washington Post elevated the term "cheap fakes," claiming such videos "misrepresent events simply by manipulating video or audio, or by leaving out context." The New York Times echoed this narrative, insisting that the viral clips were "edited or lack context."

However, the debate performance has exposed the fallacy of this argument. The unedited footage of Biden struggling to articulate his thoughts and maintain coherence has forced his media allies to acknowledge the reality they have long denied.

The New York Times editorial board called for Biden to step aside. Scarborough, who previously praised Biden's intellectual abilities, questioned whether a Fortune 500 corporation would retain a CEO after a similar performance. Thomas Friedman, a close friend of Biden, expressed sorrow and urged him to step down.

Tim Young, a political satirist, remarked, "Just remember: All the unedited clips of Joe Biden spacing out and rambling during the debate... are just cheap fakes."

The media's attempt to gaslight the American public by denying Biden's cognitive decline has backfired. The debate performance has laid bare the truth, leaving the cheap fake narrative in ruins.