Axios Reporter Hits Media For Whiffing On Coverage Of Biden’s Decline At White House Correspondents’ Dinner

Journalist Alex Thompson called retired nan property for failing to decently study connected erstwhile President Joe Biden’s declining wellness astatine nan White House Correspondents' Dinner connected Saturday.

Thompson, a newsman for Axios, accepted nan White House Correspondents’ Association’s Aldo Beckman Award for Overall Excellence successful White House Coverage. His reporting intimately documented Biden’s disastrous statement capacity against President Donald Trump, nan events starring up to it, and Biden’s eventual determination to exit nan race. In his acceptance speech, Thompson acknowledged that nan property fell short successful covering nan communicative of Biden's decline. 

"Being truth tellers besides intends telling nan truth astir ourselves. We, myself included, missed a batch of this story," Thompson said, speaking earlier a room of journalists from awesome news outlets. 

He added, "President Biden's diminution and its cover-up by nan group astir him is simply a reminder that each White House, sloppy of party, is tin of deception." 

WHCA PRESIDENT OPENS DINNER HIGHLIGHTING TRUMP’S ABSENCE AND ‘EXTREMELY DIFFICULT’ YEAR FOR THE PRESS 

President Biden’s disastrous statement capacity past twelvemonth led to him exiting nan race. ((Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) | (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images) | Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images))

Following Biden’s withdrawal from nan race, respective journalists admitted they had not sufficiently scrutinized nan president’s health. Concerns mounted aft Biden’s statement performance, erstwhile viewers noted his rambling answers and raspy voice. 

BIDEN'S TEAM HID THE TRUTH ABOUT HIS HEALTH ALL ALONG: WH PRESS SEC 

Thompson said nan media’s nonaccomplishment to analyse and study much aggressively connected Biden’s information contributed to increasing nationalist distrust of journalism.  

"Some group spot america little because of it," he said. "We carnivore immoderate work for religion successful nan media being astatine specified lows. I opportunity this because acknowledging errors builds trust, and being protect astir them further erodes it." 

He concluded pinch a stark admission: "We should person done better." 

Gallup polling from October 2024 reflects nan erosion of spot successful American institutions, including nan press. Only 31% of Americans reported having a "great deal" aliases "fair amount" of assurance successful nan media to study nan news accurately. 

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Thompson’s comments travel amid broader conversations astir media accountability. Earlier this year, NPR CEO Katherine Maher testified earlier Congress, admitting nan statement mishandled its sum of nan Hunter Biden laptop communicative during nan 2020 election. 

"I do want to opportunity that NPR acknowledges we were mistaken successful failing to screen nan Hunter Biden laptop story much aggressively and sooner," Maher told lawmakers. She later described nan deficiency of sum arsenic a "mistake." 

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