Right-wing media lose it because Biden coughed

Written by Cydney Hargis

Published

Conservative media rushed to declare President Joe Biden “a mess” and spread concern about his supposed “mysterious illness” after the president appeared to cough in a few speeches last week, despite the White House press secretary’s clarification that it’s not a cause for concern. 

During his September 13 speech stumping for California Gov. Gavin Newsom ahead of the state’s gubernatorial recall election, Biden appeared to cough fairly consistently for a few minutes. This also occurred during a September 16 speech in which Biden announced tax cuts for more than 50 million middle-class families. 

A few right-wing media figures and outlets quickly zeroed in on the coughing in an attempt to blow it out of proportion. On September 16, NBC’s Kelly O’Donnell brought it to the White House’s attention during a press conference. O’Donnell asked White House press secretary Jen Psaki about the president’s cough and whether there is “an explanation for why he coughs so frequently in situations like that.” Psaki responded that it’s not a concern, there is a doctor who travels with Biden, and there may be many reasons why he needs to clear his throat. 

Following Psaki’s response, right-wing media melted down, accusing the White House of being “evasive” and claiming Biden’s cough was everything from a sign of illness to a signal that he’s lying: 

  • During the September 16 edition of Fox News’ Hannity, host Sean Hannity played a clip of Biden coughing after claiming the president has been “battling this mysterious illness for weeks.” Hannity then compared the incidents to former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton coughing, before baselessly claiming that he has “suspicions.”   
  • A September 16 Breitbart article called the White House’s answer “evasive” and claimed Psaki had “refused to say” why Biden was coughing. 
  • In a September 16 article, the Washington Examiner accused the White House of downplaying Biden’s cough. 
  • In a September 16 article, The Gateway Pundit claimed that when the White House was asked about Biden's cough, Psaki “brushed it off." The piece also mentioned Clinton's coughing incidents. 
  • During the September 16 edition of Premiere Radio Networks’ The Sean Hannity Show, Hannity said Biden looked like a “zombie” before specifically mentioning his “coughing fits.” Hannity went on to compare Biden’s coughing to Clinton’s and suggested it may be a signal they’re lying. He also added that “it might be true, who knows,” before clarifying that he’s “just playing around here.”  
  • During the same show, Hannity called Biden “a mess” before playing a compilation of him coughing and comparing those clips to similar examples of Clinton coughing during the 2016 campaign. Hannity also said, “Maybe it's because when you lie, it triggers something in your brain that causes coughing fits.” 
  • During the September 16 edition of Fox News’ Special Report, White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich said the president’s health is “raising eyebrows,” suggesting that “his persistent cough [is] seemingly worse this week.” She also played a compilation video of Biden coughing. 
  • A New York Post headline read “Biden’s persistent coughing during latest speech spurs health questions,” while the piece itself claimed that the White House response had ignored “the frequency with which Biden’s public comments have been interrupted by his phlegmy delivery.” The September 16 article also noted the president’s age before claiming that he frequently pauses during public events to clear his throat or “even ... to take a sip of water.”  
  • A September 16 Daily Wire article wrote up the exchange in the press room and said a reporter pressed Psaki “on why Biden keeps coughing.” 

It is public knowledge that Biden has had both asthma and allergies since childhood, and his doctor has previously state that he is a “healthy, vigorous” person “who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency.”