.@ByronYork: The White House debated a cognitive test for Biden—but chose the cover-up instead. They cried “cheapfakes,” smeared critics, and denied what voters saw with their own eyes. The inside story was deception. The outside story? Unmistakable decline.
| Claim | Result | Source Reference | Source Quote |
|---|---|---|---|
| The White House debated a cognitive test for Biden but chose to cover it up instead. | rejected | https://www.npr.org/2024/02/28/1234438761/biden-physical-report | White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that his doctors determined that he didn't need a cognitive exam — though Biden's longtime doctor did not address the matter directly in his report. |
| The White House debated a cognitive test for Biden but chose to cover it up instead. | rejected | https://www.npr.org/2024/06/16/g-s1-4673/trump-challenges-biden-to-cognitive-test-but-confuses-name-of-doctor-who-tested-him | Trump took the cognitive test in 2018 at his own request, Jackson told reporters at the time. |
| The White House accused critics of using 'cheapfakes,' smeared critics, and denied Biden's cognitive decline despite visible signs. | inconclusive | https://www.vox.com/politics/358877/biden-age-debate-media-coverage | |
| There was deception inside the White House regarding Biden's cognitive issues, while voters saw unmistakable decline. | rejected | https://www.nbcnews.com/health/bidens-memory-issues-draw-attention-neurologists-weigh-rcna138135 | Since a report released on Thursday by special counsel Robert Hur described President Joe Biden as an “elderly man with a poor memory,” there have been significant misperceptions about the cognitive changes associated with aging, neurologists say. ...Biden defiantly rejected the changes in a press conference late Thursday, saying “my memory’s fine.” ...Only a person’s doctor or neurologist can make that diagnosis, not outside observers, brain experts say. |
| There was deception inside the White House regarding Biden's cognitive issues, while voters saw unmistakable decline. | rejected | https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/neurologist-weighs-in-on-concerns-about-the-age-of-presidential-candidates | Let's talk about some of the questions voters have with an expert in aging, cognition and memory. Dr. Brad Dickerson is a neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Dr. Dickerson, thank you so much for joining the "NewsHour." Before we even start this conversation, let's just get out of the way that neither of us wants to be making ageist generalizations here. We all know there are 94-year-olds out there who are sharp as tacks. Having said that, what concerns and questions have come up for you about the abilities of the two presumptive nominees for president? Dr. Brad Dickerson, Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School: Yes, Stephanie, I think you make a good point, which is that, as a neurologist, I have seen 60-year-olds that really have significant cognitive impairment, and I have seen 85-year-olds that are sharp as a tack, as you just said. I feel like the biggest issue is that, as we all get older, it's more and more common that diseases associated with aging may start to take hold in the brain. And they can often be very insidious as they first do that. |
🤖 Conclusion [20/100]: The statement alleges that the White House debated having President Biden take a cognitive test but instead chose to actively cover up concerns about his cognitive decline and smeared critics, while the public saw clear signs of decline. The referenced sources provide some context:
- According to NPR, the White House said that Biden's doctors determined he did not need a cognitive test, not that they considered one and then covered it up. There is no direct evidence presented of a cover-up or deception, just a decision not to administer the test based on the medical team's input.
- The claim regarding 'cheapfakes' and smearing critics is marked inconclusive because no specific source or quote confirms this accusation.
- Both NBC and PBS provide expert opinion that, while concerns about cognitive decline in older individuals are legitimate, only a neurologist or the president's doctor (not outside observers or voters) can make a medical judgment. There is no solid evidence of deliberate deception by the White House.
Overall, there is insufficient evidence to support the main thrust of the statement—intentional deception or cover-up—though it is true there are ongoing public debates about Biden's age and cognition. Thus, the score is low but not zero, reflecting some public debate, but not the asserted "cover-up."