Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., dodged questions about his role in covering up former President Joe Biden’s mental decline on CNN Tuesday.
Excerpts from CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios reporter Alex Thompson’s upcoming book “Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again” detail several insider concerns over whether Biden could last a second term as president.
In light of some of the book’s claims about him, Schumer was asked whether he knew about Biden’s condition on CNN’s “The Arena With Kasie Hunt.”
BIDEN AIDES ALLEGEDLY FRETTED THEN-PRESIDENT WOULD NEED WHEELCHAIR IF RE-ELECTED, NEW BOOK REVEALS
“I’m interested to know whether the man that you saw sitting there on that couch on that day — you were in there, you saw him up close and personal — did you really not have any idea that he was not fit to serve a second term?” Hunt asked, referencing a February 2024 Oval Office meeting.
“Kasie, we’re looking forward,” Schumer responded. “We have the largest Medicaid cut in front of us. We have the whole federal government at risk —”
“But you’re facing all of this because you lost a presidential election. And is that not Joe Biden’s responsibility for deciding to run again?” Hunt interrupted.
“We’re looking forward,” Schumer repeated.
“That’s it?” Hunt responded.
“That’s it,” Schumer replied.
Schumer gave the same response during a press conference earlier that day when a reporter asked if he was being straight with the American public in posting on X in June that the president was “in command and impressive” in meetings.
This reporter juxtaposed Schumer’s post with an insider describing to Tapper and Thompson a “terrifying” moment that same month when Biden failed to recognize award-winning actor George Clooney at his infamous fundraiser.
Schumer dismissed the question, saying, “We’re just looking forward.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Schumer’s office for comment.
CHUCK SCHUMER CONFRONTED WITH OLD CLIP OF HIMSELF DECLARING BIDEN’S DECLINE ‘RIGHT-WING PROPAGANDA’
In February 2024, Schumer defended Biden and insisted that attacks on his abilities were “right-wing propaganda.”
“His mental acuity is great. It’s fine. It’s as good as it’s been over the years. I’ve been speaking to him for 30 years, since we worked on the Brady Bill and the assault weapons ban when I was a young congressman. And he’s — he’s fine. All this right-wing propaganda that his mental acuity has declined is wrong,” Schumer said at the time.
It was later reported by the New York Times that Schumer was one of multiple Democratic leaders who privately convinced Biden to drop out of the race.
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