Chris Cillizza has been a bit more willing to bash his side of the aisle now that he’s been released from the shackles at CNN. But some of those bad habits bubble up again, and that’s what happened this week. The ex-CNN politics editor and Washington Post writer claimed that the media did not act in bad faith when reporting on Joe Biden’s accelerating decrepitude.
Cillizza was replying to Emma Jo-Morris’ tweet, where she wrote, “ [The] Media effort to conceal Biden being demented was not ‘herd mentality’ — although that’s its own unforgivable sin — it was intentional activism.”
Media effort to conceal Biden being demented was not “herd mentality” — although that’s its own unforgivable sin — it was intentional activism.
— Emma-Jo Morris (@EmmaJoNYC) April 9, 2025
I don't agree.
— Chris Cillizza (@ChrisCillizza) April 9, 2025
While I absolutely believe that the media -- myself VERY much included -- didn't work hard enough to get around the smokescreen the Biden people were putting up around him -- I do not think that it was "intentional activism."
We simply didn't push hard enough. https://t.co/v7B7jVoL29
I don't agree. While I absolutely believe that the media -- myself VERY much included -- didn't work hard enough to get around the smokescreen the Biden people were putting up around him -- I do not think that it was "intentional activism." We simply didn't push hard enough.
First, at least the man admits he screwed up. However, still, Mr. Cillizza, the number of pivots, spins, and outright lies that were taken at face value by the media and pushed as fact when it was activism, as these outlets didn’t want to look as if they were helping Trump, is precisely what happened here. It got to the point where clear videos of Biden being aloof were dismissed as possible deepfakes by CNN and others:
They didn’t want to do their jobs because a) they didn’t want to help the GOP, and b) they didn’t want to lose access to the Biden White House.
Yeah, Chris, you guys were all just fooled by devious Biden aides. They smokescreened you to the point of making you not ask any questions and blame Republicans. The most brilliant aides in WH history.
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) April 9, 2025
This rewriting of your roles in all of this isn't going to happen. https://t.co/Eh6AEgyRoD pic.twitter.com/diFrZoLunE
this was intentional activism https://t.co/4Bh29vMrYo pic.twitter.com/fR8k5THYHe
— Andrew Kerr (@AndrewKerrNC) April 9, 2025
Just take the “L” and move on, guys. Everyone knows Biden was cooked, but you people.
Cillizza was also torched for saying "learn to code" was never a thing.
That's horrible, but then he has a candid interview with Van Jones, and it's a down-to-earth venting session about how Democrats are genuinely lost when combating and confronting Trump.
Some good, some bad. It's a human thing, but my man, this was an atrocious take.