At Saturday’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Axios reporter Alex Thompson delivered a pointed critique of media practices surrounding former President Joe Biden’s health. Accepting the Aldo Beckman Award for Overall Excellence in White House Coverage, Thompson directly addressed what he perceived as a significant oversight by the press.
His remarks followed extensive reporting that meticulously detailed Biden’s performance in his debate against Donald Trump, the events leading up to it, and ultimately, Biden’s decision to suspend his campaign. Thompson acknowledged a collective failure within the journalistic community.
“Being truth tellers also means telling the truth about ourselves,” Thompson stated before an audience of prominent journalists. “We, myself included, missed a lot of this story.”
He further elaborated on the implications: “President Biden’s decline and its attempts at concealment by those around him serves as a reminder that every administration, irrespective of political affiliation, possesses the potential for deception.”
The scrutiny of Biden’s health intensified after his debate appearance, with many viewers noting concerning elements such as unfocused responses and an altered vocal quality. Following Biden’s withdrawal, several journalists openly conceded they hadn’t thoroughly examined his well-being.
Thompson argued that the media’s reticence to investigate more robustly contributed to a decline in public trust towards journalism.
“Some individuals have lost faith in us as a result,” he said. “We share some responsibility for the current low levels of confidence in the press. Acknowledging our errors fosters trust, while defensiveness only exacerbates the problem.”
Concluding his address with candor, Thompson simply stated, “We should have done better.”
Recent Gallup polling data from October 2024 reinforces this concern about dwindling public confidence. Only 31% of Americans expressed a “great deal” or “fair amount” of trust in the media’s ability to report news accurately.
Thompson’s observations are part of an ongoing discussion regarding journalistic accountability. Earlier this year, NPR CEO Katherine Maher testified before Congress, admitting that her organization had mishandled its coverage of Hunter Biden’s laptop story during the 2020 election cycle.
“NPR acknowledges we were mistaken in failing to cover the Hunter Biden laptop story more aggressively and sooner,” Maher told lawmakers. She later characterized the lack of attention as a “mistake.”
