Media Criticism

Why the Media Covered for Biden

Plus: A listener asks whether Bruce Springsteen's song Born in the U.S.A is actually patriotic.

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Why the Media Covered for Biden

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In this week's The Reason Roundtable, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and special guest Elizabeth Nolan Brown size up the fallout from the mainstream media's lag in coverage of Joe Biden's cognitive decline, despite evidence existing well before his seismic debate performance on June 27.

01:50—Media fallout after Biden's debate performance

28:13—The Supreme Court rules on presidential immunity.

37:06—Weekly Listener Question

42:46— The Supreme Court's ruling on social media moderation

50:39—This week's cultural recommendations

Mentioned in this podcast:

"Ticket Change?" by Liz Wolfe

"Biden Insists Beyond All Reason That He's the Most Qualified Person To Be President," by C.J. Ciaramella

"Why Didn't the Media Notice Joe Biden's 'Jet Lag' Sooner?" by Robby Soave

"Kamala Harris Is a Cop Who Wants To Be President," by Elizabeth Nolan Brown

"Kamala Harris Was the Real Winner of Last Night's Debate," by Elizabeth Nolan Brown

"Biden's Litany of Excuses," by Liz Wolfe

"Presidential Debate Debacle Was a Great Argument for Smaller Government," by J.D. Tuccille

"Biden, Trump, and RFK Jr. Are All Anti-Freedom," by John Stossel

"Supreme Court's Presidential Immunity Ruling Could Shield Outrageous Abuses of Power," by Jacob Sullum

"Social Media Moderation Is Speech, Says Supreme Court," by Elizabeth Nolan Brown

"Stop Using My Song: 35 Artists Who Fought Politicians Over Their Music," by Eveline Chao

"Boss Talk: Why celebrities should never shut up—but stop complaining," by Nick Gillespie

"Bye-Bye American Pie," Nick Gillespie

"Why Superman and Wyatt Earp Left Kansas but Still Loved the Place," by Nick Gillespie

"Stephen Colbert Finds the Focus on Biden's Age to Be Old News," by Trish Bendix

Send your questions to roundtable@reason.com. Be sure to include your social media handle and the correct pronunciation of your name.

Upcoming events:

Today's sponsors:

  • Students for Liberty
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Audio production by Ian Keyser; assistant production by Hunt Beaty.

Music: "Angeline," by The Brothers Steve

What are we consuming this week?

Katherine Mangu-Ward

Elizabeth Nolan Brown

Nick Gillespie

Peter Suderman