Media’s Role in Biden’s Decline "Only Good Four Hours a Day"

Summary

Podcast Summary: The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson Episode Title: Media’s Role in Biden’s Decline "Only Good Four Hours a Day" Release Date: August 8, 2025

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1. Introduction

In this compelling episode of The 47 Morning Update, host Ben Ferguson engages in a critical discussion with Senator Ted Cruz about the pervasive influence of mainstream media in obscuring President Joe Biden's alleged cognitive decline. The conversation delves into the contents of Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson’s book, Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover Up and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again, highlighting the purported media complicity in masking the President's deteriorating mental faculties.

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2. Critique of Jake Tapper’s Book

Senator Ted Cruz opens the dialogue by expressing strong skepticism toward the recently published book by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson. He vehemently criticizes the authors, suggesting that the book is "full of crap" and compares its premise to that of an arsonist denying involvement in a fire they ignited.

Ted Cruz [02:15]: “When you talk about full of crap, I really don't think you're being fair to crap. Like, this is like a book. Arsonist discovers a fire he started. This is like a book.”

Cruz accuses Tapper and the corporate media of deliberately covering up Biden's mental decline, especially concerning the administration's handling of COVID-19 and other critical issues.

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3. Allegations of Media Cover-Up

The discussion intensifies as Cruz presents his view that Jake Tapper and CNN were "247 engaged in the COVID up," knowingly concealing President Biden's cognitive issues from the public.

Ted Cruz [03:13]: “They knew about his mental decline and refused to tell anybody.”

Ben Ferguson corroborates this stance, emphasizing the gravity of the situation and hinting at possessing concrete evidence ("receipts") to support their claims.

Ben Ferguson [03:13]: "It's shocking just how bad it was. And by the way, we have the receipts just to remind people."

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4. Evidence of Biden’s Cognitive Decline

Cruz provides specific instances from the book that allegedly demonstrate Biden's declining mental state. He cites examples such as Biden not recognizing actor George Clooney at a fundraiser and Barack Obama having to lead Biden off the stage due to his confusion and disorientation.

Ted Cruz [09:33]: “At a fundraiser in June 2024, Joe Biden didn't recognize George Clooney. He had to be introduced like Ocean's Eleven. What, is there a casino you're robbing?”

These anecdotes are used to illustrate the claimed severity of Biden's cognitive issues and the media's failure to address them adequately.

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5. Cabinet Members’ Concerns

A significant portion of the discussion revolves around testimonies from Biden’s cabinet members as presented in the book. These officials reportedly expressed deep concerns about Biden's capacity to lead, especially during crises.

Ted Cruz [32:18]: “Another cabinet secretary said Biden's top aides shielded him in every meeting from October 2023 on. The cabinet was kept at bay.”

Cruz underscores the implications of these revelations, questioning the effectiveness of the administration's leadership and decision-making processes.

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6. Use of Auto Pen for Signing Documents

The conversation shifts to the procedural aspects of presidential duties, particularly the use of an auto pen by President Biden to sign legislation and pardons. Cruz questions the legitimacy of such actions, especially if Biden's mental state compromised his ability to perform these duties personally.

Ted Cruz [29:37]: “What about judges? If he used the auto pen to sign a pardon, is it legitimate?”

This segment raises concerns about the authenticity of executive actions taken during Biden's presidency and the potential legal ramifications.

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7. Historical Comparisons and Hypocrisy

Cruz draws parallels between current events and past political incidents, such as Mitt Romney’s contested claims about tax payments and Harry Reid’s defamation of Romney during political debates. This comparison serves to highlight perceived hypocrisies within the Democratic leadership.

Ted Cruz [12:44]: “When Mitt Romney ran for president against Barack Obama, Harry Reid lied on the Senate floor, claiming Romney hadn't paid income taxes.”

Cruz uses these examples to argue that Democrats have a history of deceitful political maneuvering, further questioning their credibility in the current context.

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8. Implications for Governance and Oversight

Ben Ferguson raises pressing questions about the actual leadership of the United States if Biden is incapacitated. He questions who is effectively running the country and whether there should be congressional oversight or investigations into the administration's handling of these issues.

Ben Ferguson [23:58]: “Who was running the country? Was it 30 people that were elected by no one? I don't think it was one person.”

Cruz responds by admitting uncertainty but emphasizes the need for accountability and transparency within the government structures.

Ted Cruz [24:09]: “I genuinely don't know. I think it was Barack Obama and his team.”

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9. Potential for Oversight and Investigation

The hosts discuss the necessity for investigations into the administration's alleged concealment of Biden's cognitive decline. They explore the potential consequences and legal challenges that could arise if such allegations are substantiated.

Ted Cruz [30:11]: “If you have a president that's mentally incompetent and you have staffers running things, it makes you wonder, Dr. Fauci's pardon, is it legitimate?”

This segment underscores the profound impact that executive incapacitation could have on national security and governance.

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10. Conclusion

The episode concludes with Ben Ferguson and Senator Ted Cruz reiterating their concerns about President Biden's mental fitness and the media's role in obscuring these issues. They call for greater transparency and accountability within the administration and the media landscape.

Ben Ferguson [33:03]: “Now that everybody knows the cognitive decline, the books are being written, they're telling you they may have only gotten four hours a day out of the President of the United States of America.”

The hosts urge listeners to critically evaluate the information presented by mainstream media and to seek out alternative sources that expose the truth behind the administration's public image.

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Notable Quotes

• Ted Cruz [02:15]: “Like, this is like a book. Arsonist discovers a fire he started.”

• Ben Ferguson [03:19]: “It's shocking just how bad it was. And by the way, we have the receipts just to remind people.”

• Ted Cruz [09:33]: “At a fundraiser in June 2024, Joe Biden didn't recognize George Clooney. He had to be introduced like Ocean's Eleven. What, is there a casino you're robbing?”

• Ted Cruz [29:37]: “What about judges? If he used the auto pen to sign a pardon, is it legitimate?”

• Ben Ferguson [23:58]: “Who was running the country? Was it 30 people that were elected by no one? I don't think it was one person.”

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Final Thoughts

This episode of The 47 Morning Update presents a critical examination of President Biden's capacity to lead, accusing mainstream media and political figures of widespread malpractice and intentional obfuscation. Through rigorous dialogue and the presentation of compelling evidence, Ben Ferguson and Senator Ted Cruz challenge listeners to reconsider the narratives presented by traditional news outlets and advocate for greater governmental accountability.

Transcript

[Ben Ferguson]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Ryan Seacrest]

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[Ben Ferguson]

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[Ben Ferguson]

Welcome it is verdict with Senator Ted Cruz, Ben Ferguson with you and Senator. It is a very big week for putting out books that are full of crap.

[Ted Cruz]

It truly is stunning. So Jake Tapper from CNN has a book along with with Alex Thompson from Axios. The book is entitled Original Sin. President Biden's Decline, Its Cover up and his disastrous choice to run again. And when you talk about full of crap, I, I, I, I really don't think you're being fair to crap. Like, like, this is th, th, this is like a book. Arsonist discovers a fire he started. This is like a book. Tony Montana, the drug dealer, says cocaine is bad for you. Like. Yes, Jake, there was a cover up. An absolute, complete, total cover up. It was knowing it was deliberate and you did it. You, Jake Tapper and CNN were 247 engaged in the COVID up. You knew about his mental decline and you refused to tell anybody.

[Ben Ferguson]

It's shocking just how bad it was. And by the way, we have the receipts just to remind people.

[Ted Cruz]

No, no, you're, you're, you're going to hear the proof momentarily.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah, and we're going to get to that because I want everyone. And this is why we do the show. This is why we do this podcast. You're going to want to share this on social media because it's so big. But first, I want to talk to you about starting my day. I do it every morning with an amazing cup of Crockett Coffee. If you want unbelievable coffee every morning, then I got to introduce you to Crockett Coffee. And I just had my first cup a few moments ago. I've got a cup of coffee every moment when I'm doing this. Go. Crockett Coffee is roasted perfection in small batches on purpose by experts that love the taste of amazing coffee. It's roasted in our nation's heartland and delivered fresh to your home or office. And if you want to drink coffee every morning that makes you feel like you're outside by a campfire, then you gotta check out the aroma of Crockett Coffee. It brews in your home or your office, and you're going to love it. Now this is premium coffee. If you want an average cup of coffee, do not order Crockett Coffee. There is also one other thing I love. It is owned by great conservatives, fellow patriots Buck Sexton and Clay Travis. They came up with this idea and they're two guys that never sell out. So if you're ready to have a great cup of coffee, then choose between the fresh ground, the whole bean, or the K cups. And if you're interested in mushroom coffee and the positive benefits that come with that, you can also check that out at Crockett Coffee. Now, I want to save you some money right now. Go go online to crocketcoffee.com use my name. Ben. You're going to get 20% off your first order that's crocketcoffee.com Use my name. Ben, you're going to get 20% off YOUR first order. You are going to love your coffee every morning. Try it. You'll be hooked just like I am. And you're go, man. I love supporting great conservatives who are willing to go out there and start new businesses for conservatives just like you. Crocket Coffee.com promo code. Ben gets a 20 off your first order. Try it right now. All right, so let's go back to this lie that I think the part that blows my mind the most is the fact that Tap river is actually probably going to get a bestseller out of this. Everyone, the media is praising him for this incredible reporting. And this is the guy that literally helped cover up the cognitive decline and dismissed anyone who brought it up on his show.

[Ted Cruz]

So, so look, the, the book, as I understand it, was originally written by Alex Thompson. Alex Thompson is not nearly as well known as Jake Tapper. And he had a contract with the book publishing company. He wrote the book and then the book publishing company decided to cancel it and said, no, we're not going to publish this book after all. In other words, the book publishing company engaged in yet another cover up because they didn't want anyone to know. And so Thompson sought out Tapper and convinced Tapper, hey, join with me. You're a big famous guy. They'll publish it if your name's on it. And Tapper said yes. And I gotta say so there are.

[Ben Ferguson]

Lots of never let a crisis go to waste. Right?

[Ted Cruz]

That's exactly. Look, and particularly a chance to make some good money. I mean, hey, what's, what's journalism all about if, if not monetizing your own hypocrisy and your own cover up. Look, Tapper, some of the facts that are coming out in this book in 2023 and 2024. Tapper and Thompson report Biden's physical deterioration was so severe that his advisors discussed the possibility he would need to use a wheelchair if he won reelection. That's, that's how bad it was. And, and yet every time anyone tried to bring up those facts, Jake Tapper and the rest of the corporate media covered it up. But don't take my word for it. Listen to Jake Tapper in his own words. This is a collection of Tapper over the years.

[Ben Ferguson]

And, and this goes back to 2020. The very beginning is him talking to one of the Trump family members, Laura Trump. And he actually like ends the interview like, you can't even say this on my Show.

[Ted Cruz]

So. So this, this montage starts in 2020, then goes to 21, 22, 23, and then 24 all throughout. Listen. Tapper for five years, covered this up aggressively. Give a listen.

[Jake Tapper]

How do you think it makes little kids with stutters feel when they see you make a comment like that is.

[Ted Cruz]

Very clearly a cognitive decline. That's what I'm referring to.

[Ben Ferguson]

It makes me uncomfortable.

[Jake Tapper]

You are. You are. No, I can't. It's so amazing. It's so amazing.

[Ted Cruz]

And try and figure out an answer.

[Jake Tapper]

Cognitive decline. Biden embraces his stutter, talking about it, while Trump mocks it, exaggerates it, belittles it. He's sharp physically. I mean, mentally. Yeah, I think the question is physically. Right, Right. Or so.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Right, right.

[Jake Tapper]

And the guy who is his chief opponent is only three or four years younger than him. I mean, you have questioned President Biden's age, mental fitness, ability to lead. Of those supporting Biden, you said, quote, shame on all of you, pretending everything is okay. You're leading us and him into a disaster. Do you worry that you damaged him at all? I don't doubt that you got hugs and handshakes behind closed doors today, and maybe even publicly, some of them, because they like you personally. But I've heard a lot of really nasty stuff about you from your Democratic colleagues. I mean, just like, what is he thinking? Exercise in narcissism. I mean, false claims to the Wall Street Journal about President Biden's mental fitness and acuity. He's 81, and his memory, you know, it doesn't seem great. It's not horrible. But I don't understand the outrage. Quote, behind closed doors, Biden shows signs of slipping, unquote. The Wall Street Journal is owned by News Corps, which is run by the Murdochs. Beyond the headline, there is some critical nuance here. The article is mostly based on observations of Republicans, with former Speaker Kevin McCarthy the only one going on the record. They do note in the article that most of the criticism comes from Republicans. Have you heard any concerns from anyone who has met with President Biden about him seeing seeming a little slower?

[Ben Ferguson]

No.

[Jake Tapper]

The Russians are trying to do. To make us and the public not trust the. Our election integrity. Joe Biden has dementia and all this stuff.

[Ben Ferguson]

Let's just stop there and give the title of the book again, Senator, so people understand what they just heard and now what he's writing. Because if you just look at the title of the book, you understand the debauchery of journalistic scumbaggery.

[Ted Cruz]

The title of the Book is original sin. President Biden's decline its cover up and his disastrous choice to run again and understand Jake Tapper. When he was saying that he was lying, he knew he was lying. Everyone else on CNN knew he was lying. They knew they were lying. Everyone on MSNBC knew they were lying. Everyone on abc, NBC, CBS knew they were lying. Everyone at the New York Times knew they were lying. And everyone at the Washington Post knew they were lying. Everyone knew this. Look, one of the facts in his book, he says at a fundraiser In June of 2024, Joe Biden didn't recognize George Clooney, who he's known for decades. He had George Clooney, by the way. He had to be introduced like Ocean's Eleven. What, is there a casino you're robbing? I don't understand. Like, Biden had no idea. This is the same fundraiser, you remember, where Barack Obama had to lead Biden off the stage because he was just confused and staring out in space. And Tapper and the rest of them just lied to us and said a. Okay, no problems here.

[Ben Ferguson]

You go back, Senator, to what you just said a moment ago, and it's a great point here, and it's one about the, the fact that they were at this fundraiser and the President didn't know, like, who George Clooney was. You have Barack Obama having to walk him off stage. Like that was when everyone in, in his, in his realm, that they were even trying to, I think, insulate, protecting from. They all knew then, like, this is a disaster. And yet they still went full speed ahead with it.

[Ted Cruz]

No, that's exactly right. You know, the Babylon Bee had a great headline that summed up this book. So the Babylon Bees headline was, quote, jake Tapper uncovers startling evidence that Biden's decline was covered up by Jake Tapper. And that's exactly what his book is. And listen, listen to this week, Chuck Schumer. Because it wasn't just Jake Tapper that was lying. Every Democrat was lying. Every Democrat senator, every Democrat governor, every Democrat House member. They all knew Biden was seriously declining mentally, and they all covered it up. Schumer was one of the most shameless because he gave his own personal guarantee about how quick Biden was. And listen this week, when finally the media confronts him about his lies, listen to what Chuck Schumer says. You said in June of last year.

[Chuck Schumer]

In my meetings with President Biden, I.

[Jake Sullivan]

Found the command and impressive and wielding influence to make Congress on key priorities.

[Ted Cruz]

But in that same month, Biden apparently.

[Chuck Schumer]

Did not even recognize George Clooney, a fundraiser.

[Ted Cruz]

Were you being straight with the American public?

[Ryan Seacrest]

Look, we're just looking forward.

[Ben Ferguson]

I mean, it's the best answer I've ever heard from a politician center.

[Ted Cruz]

We're just looking forward.

[Ben Ferguson]

Hey, we gotta go. We're just looking forward. And I'm walking off stage like, we're just looking forward.

[Ted Cruz]

I, I mean, so, Governor, tell me about the dead body that we found in your house. We're just looking.

[Ben Ferguson]

We're just looking straight.

[Ted Cruz]

Tell me about the, the cocaine, the White House.

[Ben Ferguson]

Let's just use that one.

[Ted Cruz]

We're just, Just moving.

[Ben Ferguson]

We're just moving forward, guys.

[Ted Cruz]

Schumer. Not, not the tiniest bit of accountability. Not the. Oh, yeah, we're moving forward. Not just. We're moving forward. Forward.

[Ben Ferguson]

Moving the Democrats in 2025.

[Ted Cruz]

You know, it reminded me back, if you remember, when Mitt Romney ran for president against Barack Obama.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yes.

[Ted Cruz]

And Harry Reid went and, and lied and claimed that Mitt Romney hadn't paid income taxes, and he just flat out lied. And he did it on the Senate floor. You know why I did it on the Senate floor?

[Ben Ferguson]

Because you can't argue back with him. Right.

[Ted Cruz]

Well, that's true, but there's another reason he did it on the Senate floor. Because the Constitution has a provision called the speech and debate clause that, that, that immunizes members of Congress for speech and debate on the Senate floor. He did it so no one could sue him. So Mitt Romney couldn't sue him for, for defamation because he was lying and.

[Ben Ferguson]

He didn't say it on tv. Interesting.

[Ted Cruz]

And after the election, they asked Kerry Reid about. Wait, you were lying? You had no evidence. And Harry Reid, who was then the Democrat Senate Majority Leader, he said, well, Romney didn't win, did he? Like, it's the same thing as Chuck Schumer. We're just looking forward. All right, listen to. Now, Biden's National Security advisor, Jake Sullivan, who worked with Biden every day in the White House and so knew to an absolute certainty that Biden was severely mentally declining. But listen to what Jake Sullivan said.

[Jake Sullivan]

What happened in that debate was a shock to me. I think it was a shock to everybody. And I've made that point before.

[Ben Ferguson]

Just finally, do you think in retrospect, given everything that's happened, everything we've talked about today, it was a mistake for President Biden to try to run again?

[Jake Sullivan]

One of the things about being National Security Advisor is that you're mercifully insulated from politics and political decision making. I was insulated from it to the Point where while I was National Security Advisor, my spouse was running for Congress and I had strict rules about what I could even do to support my spouse, let alone be involved in political decision making, political calls in the White House. So I have not weighed in on those issues and would not weigh in on those issues.

[Ben Ferguson]

Let's, let's just be clear. I've known national security advisors. That is the biggest load of crap I've ever heard.

[Ted Cruz]

I'm just gonna point out something really funny. There's something about Democrat men that makes them weenies.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ted Cruz]

So he says my spouse was running for Congress. So he is actually married to a woman.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yep.

[Ted Cruz]

Ben, can you imagine any circumstance in which my refer to your wife as my spouse? No. I mean, isn't like, I don't know a man who refers to his wife.

[Ben Ferguson]

As my spouse who's running for Congress, my wife who is running for Congress.

[Ted Cruz]

Like that the love of my life. Like the way like other children, human beings would communicate. But. But not, not Democrat.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yours would be my smoking hot wife who's running for Congress.

[Ted Cruz]

You better believe that's how I. By the way, do I know you.

[Ben Ferguson]

Well or do I know you well?

[Ted Cruz]

Any. Any chance to praise.

[Ben Ferguson]

Praise your wife, not your spouse, right?

[Ted Cruz]

Yes, my smoking hot wife is exactly, exactly the way to put it.

[Ben Ferguson]

I set you up for success there. I just want to know if there's anything we're gonna. You should clip from this pod and send to your wife. Be like, go to this minute mark in the pod, honey. You made the pod.

[Ted Cruz]

Actually, look, as you know, she listens to the podcast. So that'll be. She'll be listening.

[Ben Ferguson]

Let's see, let's see. This is a litmus test. I. One day I said something about my wife in my show and I wanted to see if she heard it. And like her friends text her, like, Ben said something about you. And she's like, what'd you say about me? Dad's like, well, if you listen to the show, you would have known it was like a great.

[Ted Cruz]

You know, that was a mistake. Don't do that. I told you so. You will only.

[Ben Ferguson]

I was like, yeah, I'm just saying. I'm just saying. I want to ask you on a. On a very serious note here you look at the hypocrisy, but the most disturbing thing for me coming out of this book and out of the Axios reporting is that the cabinet members worried about his capacity specifically in a crisis. Now there's been interesting reporting and I just want to put it in perspective. He has the bad debate. There was real conversations, we were told, and there's reporting on this about the possibility of invoking the 25th. Not because they were afraid. I go back to the, you know, worried about the capacity in a crisis. They just didn't want to lose the election.

[Ted Cruz]

It was all politics. They were perfectly fine having someone with dementia who was not capable of decision making as president, as commander in chief. So, so this, this Jake Tapper comedy book includes the revelation that multiple cabinet members were worried that he could not be relied on at a time of crisis because his mental diminution was so, so great. One cabinet secretary said Biden's top aides quote, shielded him in every meeting from October 2023 on, quote, the cabinet was kept at bay, another quote unquote, for months. We didn't have access to them. There was clearly a deliberate strategy by the White House to have him meet with as few people as necessary. Another cabinet secretary says at one rare meeting during the time that cabinet secretary was, quote, shocked by how the president was acting. He was seemed disoriented and out of it, his mouth agape. They knew they were worried. And you know, what if our enemies attacked us, this was the commander in chief that the Democrats and CNN and, and the lying corporate media was telling us could protect us. And, and look, I don't know that I'd trust him to operate the remote control on the television set.

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[Ben Ferguson]

By the way, are they going to put this under fiction or nonfiction? That's what I want to know when you go to the store, right? If you go look for it like.

[Ted Cruz]

Well, sadly I think they'll put it on under nonfiction, which they should because it is true that Joe Biden's has had a massive mental deterioration. What they should put under fiction is what Jake says on TV every day. That's the fiction part. The irony is this may be the one true thing Jake, Jake Tapper has as written or said in the last.

[Ben Ferguson]

Hold on the guy from Access. Right.

[Ted Cruz]

It's actually true. It was someone else who wrote it and Tapper put his name on it. Yeah, but. But by accident he told the truth. Except for the fact that he didn't admit that he's been lying to the country the entire time Biden was in the White House.

[Ben Ferguson]

So let's go back to cabinet members because this is the big question. I was doing Fox and I Waters world, Kelly mceny who's filling in, former White House press secretary and she was talking about when some of this was starting to break. And I said look, the headlines are amazing. But I said the real question that I think we should all be asking and I want your take on this is if all this is true and I have no reason to believe it's not. Who the hell was the president? United States of America. Who was running the country? Was it 30 people that were elected by no one? I don't think it was one person. I think there's a very good chance that the FBI was the president of the FBI and the DOD was the president. I mean, who the hell is running the country?

[Ted Cruz]

I don't think so, actually. All right, that's what I want to ask you. I've been asked that question probably a thousand times and I'm going to give you the most terrifying answer you could imagine. I don't know.

[Ben Ferguson]

Okay.

[Ted Cruz]

I genuinely don't know. I think think it was Barack Obama. I think it was Barack Obama. Barack Obama, certainly his minions, is the only president in modern times who at the end of his presidency stayed in D.C. bought a big house in Kalorama. Every night there are cars in the driveway and all of his little apparatchik minions are in the White House. And I think it was a combination of staffers when.

[Ben Ferguson]

When Joe Biden's White House was filled with staffers. I want people to understand this, this is well reported, but this is really important right now for this story. It was well reported on that Biden and his team were the one that placed everyone in the positions of power in the Biden. I mean, Obama, I should say, excuse me, Obama and his team placed everyone basically in position of powers in the Biden administration.

[Ted Cruz]

So look, in. In four years of the Biden presidency, I'm in the Senate the whole time. How many times do you think I spoke with Joe Biden while he was president?

[Ben Ferguson]

I would say 1 to 3.

[Ted Cruz]

0.

[Ben Ferguson]

And I was saying 1 to 3 because I thought they were protecting him. So you're saying as a senator, that's not normal. People need to understand that.

[Ted Cruz]

Not a single. And that is bizarre.

[Ben Ferguson]

How many times with Obama, for example?

[Ted Cruz]

Lots of times. I mean, I mean, I spoke with Obama regularly with Trump. I speak with him often every week, sometimes multiple times a week. It is part of the job of being a senator to work with the president, to talk with the president, even the president of the opposing party.

[Ben Ferguson]

Were there ever big lulls with Obama, for example? I'm trying to really paint a picture here of how insane it is. You didn't talk to him for four years.

[Ted Cruz]

It's bizarre. And the thing to understand is we all know Joe Biden. He was in the Senate for four years. He was a man of the Senate. When I was first elected the Senate in 2012, Joe Biden swore me, in.

[Ben Ferguson]

Fact, I'll tell you, without the cognitive decline.

[Ted Cruz]

And he was fine. No, when he was vice president 13 years ago, he did not have cognitive decline. And in fact it was funny. So my girls, you know, my daughters, they're 14 and 17. When I was sworn in, they were 2 and 4, they were little bitty. And my 2 year old Catherine Biden leaned over to pick her up and she screamed, she screamed really loudly. And Biden said, it's okay, it's okay, it's a Democrat, but it's okay. And that was actually quite funny and I laughed. And you know how Time magazine does little quotes of like the quotes of the week. Yeah, that next. The quote of the week was it's okay, it's okay. It's a Democrat, but it's okay. Vice President Joe Biden to Kathryn Cruz, age 2. And I've said, you know, when Catherine is married, hopefully a long, long time from now, I intend to read that quote at her wedding and say, Even at age 2, Catherine knew if a Democrat tries to pick you up, scream loudly.

[Ben Ferguson]

I like that one. So where do we go from?

[Ted Cruz]

And by the way, when I say I didn't speak with him for four years, that was true of virtually every Republican senator. So we would say whether that mean.

[Ben Ferguson]

Democrat senators are talking to him.

[Ted Cruz]

I mean they little more. The Democrats talked to him early on.

[Ben Ferguson]

Because they were insulating him from what the book's saying. From like.

[Ted Cruz]

So they talk to him a little more when the Senate's in session. Republican senators have lunch together every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. So we talk at lunch, they're working lunches and they're very productive. We would sit at lunch and talk about how weird it was that none of us had spoken to Biden, had been to the White House to see him, and we all knew him. They were clearly hiding him. I actually remember one of my colleagues, John Kennedy, a good friend, senator from Louisiana, he was one of the few who had seen Biden one time and he actually told us all the story. We're sitting at the table. He said, look, he had passed a bill. He said it was a fairly minor bill, but it was a bipartisan bill that had passed. And Biden did a bill signing and so they brought him over.

[Ben Ferguson]

Traditionally you go to the White House.

[Ted Cruz]

Yeah, they brought him over because they wanted to say, look how bipartisan we're. So Kennedy was in the Oval and Biden was there. And Kennedy started striking up a conversation with Biden and John knew him like we all did. And Biden asked, so John, you ever seen the Cabinet Room? And John Kennedy being John Kennedy, he said, I lied and said no. And he said, come on, let's go.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah, you knew where that was going. You say no to that question? Yeah.

[Ted Cruz]

And so he takes him in there and he said, Biden begins telling stories from like 40 or 50 years ago. And Kennedy said, the White House staff comes in freaking out, Mr. President, you gotta go, you gotta go. And Biden yells at him, shut up, I'm telling stories. And he said, he went on for like 30, 40 minutes. And he was like listening to your grandfather who's tell the same stories over and over again, same stories, like 50, 50 years ago, they can remember, but. But don't ask them what's happening today. And that was. And he was literally at my lunch table. I remember he was the only one of us who had seen Biden since he's been president. And that was his one experience with it.

[Ben Ferguson]

Will there be anything now that the me's accept this as fact? They're reporting on it as fact. Cabinet members were worried about his capacity in a crisis. That's what they've said. Is there going to be any oversight slash investigation? Should there be from Congress? And I know that's a weird question because there's somebody like, look, we won, let's move on. But like, I do actually, as an American citizen, want to know who was running the United States of America that was elected by no one. I want to know who was calling the shots that was elected by no one. Because whether I win or lose an election, my vote should not be canceled out by some sort of dictator or tyrant within an administration that no one knows who's running a government.

[Ted Cruz]

And by the way, there's a related question to that, Ben, which is we've seen the stories that apparently a substantial number of official things that Biden signed were signed by the auto pen.

[Ben Ferguson]

So was he even making the decision to sign them? Right.

[Ted Cruz]

And he didn't even seem to know like some of the pardons. And I actually think you'll have this litigated. I don't, I don't. Not aware of any court that's ever decided is, is a pardon. Does a pardon have to actually be signed by the president? So look, every elected official has an auto pen. I have an auto pen. And so for things like constituent correspondence, if you write into your senator, you'll get a response back and we try to respond substantively and the auto pen will sign it and I get millions of those Letters so I couldn't physically sign them.

[Ben Ferguson]

All I'm thinking about right now is how, where that auto pin is and how much fun I could have. But keep going.

[Ted Cruz]

But look, it's fine for something like correspondence, a birthday wish, but the question is for something that has legal force of law, and I actually want to know, did they use the auto pen to sign any legislation? Because it's not clear to me legislation that the president didn't sign has legal force. The auto pen is not the commander in chief and the chief. What about judges?

[Ben Ferguson]

For example, if he did an auto pen, which means he, I, I, I'm truly convinced that he didn't know what was going on. He didn't know who he was appointing, he probably didn't know who he was pardoning.

[Ted Cruz]

And if that's happening, then where it'll be litigated.

[Ben Ferguson]

Okay.

[Ted Cruz]

And that will.

[Ben Ferguson]

And why is that so different?

[Ted Cruz]

Because, look, it's, it's interesting, like a pardon under the Constitution, all you have to have is a document from the President that said, you know, I pardoned Ben Ferguson and suddenly actually, only if it's a federal offense. So he can't.

[Ben Ferguson]

Only if it's federal offense. Yeah. The abuse I take. The abuse I take.

[Ted Cruz]

But it literally, there's no pomp and circumstance. It doesn't have to have gold leaf on the paper. It doesn't have to be an official. It just a piece of paper with a signature with those words in his signature that is legally a pardon. But if you don't actually have a signature. Listen, I've been in the Oval dozens of times, probably more. When President Trump is signing things and he pulls out, he actually. So have you seen the president signing pen?

[Ben Ferguson]

Oh, yeah, I've got one of the big Sharpies with his master on.

[Ted Cruz]

Most presidents use like a Sharpie to have a siding pen, but President Trump's, it's a marker that's probably what, 10 inches long and maybe.

[Ben Ferguson]

And it's gold. It has like gold his signature and.

[Ted Cruz]

Like an inch in diameter, like, it is massive. But he signs one after the other after the other after the other because that's what gives it legal force of law. If you have a president that's mentally incompetent and you have staffers running thing, it makes you wonder, Dr. Fauci's pardon, is it legitimate?

[Ben Ferguson]

I don't know. Yeah. And if it's the auto pen, which I'm sure they can figure that out, it will be.

[Ted Cruz]

It's an interesting question. You know, I'll say A few more of these quotes from the cabinet members.

[Ben Ferguson]

Members.

[Ted Cruz]

The cabinet members in this book described said. One said, quote, the staff did him wrong. If you were with him every day and you knew this was going to be a problem, why didn't you go to him and say something? Another said, quote, access dropped off considerably in 2024, and I didn't interact with him as much. A third said, quote, yes, the president is making the decisions, but if the inner circle is shaking the shaping them in such a way, is it really a decision? And here was another Cabinet secretary. I don't think he has dementia. But the thing is, he's an old man. The President can give you four to six good hours a day. When he got tired. Sloppy isn't the right word, but his guard was down. That would be the Commander in Chief of the United States.

[Ben Ferguson]

Now that it's over, now that everybody knows the cognitive decline, now that the books are being written, they're telling you they may have only gotten four hours a day out of the President. United States, America. That is maybe one of the most shocking statements I've ever heard about any president.

[Ted Cruz]

Yeah, look, it's. He was not mentally capable to do the job. They knew it and they lied about it. And by the way, Jake Tapper's whole premise that, gosh, little old me, Jake was deceived. They just didn't tell me the truth. I just didn't know. Well, Jake, if you listened to verdict, we were telling you the facts, and we were telling you the facts early on here. I want you to go back to January of 2024. I want you to listen to a segment of Ben and me and the podcast back in January of 24 talking about Biden's deterioration. Give a listen.

[I]

You and I, and kind of anyone with eyes and common sense have been observing for a long time that Joe Biden's cognitive decline is massive. But it's easy for some observers to dismiss that and say, you know, these, these guys are biased. They're partisans, they don't like Biden. So what they're saying is not true. In this instance, the people speaking are the Biden Department of Justice and not any Department of Justice. This is a Department of justice that has proven itself the most politicized and partisan Department of Justice in history. And they have argued. So, for example, I'm going to read you a paragraph from the report. In his interview with our office, Mr. Biden's memory was worse. He did not remember when he was vice president, forgetting on the first day of the interview when his term ended, quote, if it was 2013, when did I stop being vice president and forgetting? On the second day of the interview when his term began, quote, In 2009, am I still vice president? He did not remember even within several years when his son Beau died. And his memory appeared hazy when describing the Afghanistan debate that was once so important to him. Among other things, he mistakenly said he, quote, had a real difference of opinion with General Carl Eikenberry, when in fact Eichenberry was an ally whom Mr. Biden cited approvingly in his Thanksgiving memo to President Obama. All of that was authored by the Biden Department of Justice. And when they are describing the sitting president as a well meaning elderly man with a poor memory, the natural question for anyone to say is, holy crap, if he's not competent to stand trial, why is he the commander in Chief, with the authority to send our sons and daughters into harm's way? Why does he have access to the nuclear codes? Understand the description here. They say you couldn't charge him with a crime because he's not aware of enough to have the requisite mental intent. And yet Joe Biden tonight, if he so desired, could literally exterminate humanity from the face of the planet as Commander in Chief, if he gave the order, launch the nuclear weapons. Now, unless the military refused to obey the Commander in Chief, Joe Biden could exterminate every life on this planet. And if he's not mentally competent to stand trial, that is terrifying.

[Ted Cruz]

So that was a year and a half ago. Yeah, a year and a half ago in this podcast. And understand. And the entire basis of Tapper's book is he couldn't possibly know about, known about this mental decline. The Department of Justice, and this would be the Biden Department of Justice went into court. So the Robert her report, remember, they did not prosecute Biden.

[Ben Ferguson]

And when was that? I wonder, do you remember the time frame on that?

[Ted Cruz]

That was early 24. Yeah, we covered it a lot.

[Ben Ferguson]

And that with them interviewing him in 23.

[Ted Cruz]

Right.

[Ben Ferguson]

So in 23, when they were interviewing Joe Biden, they then in 24 told America he's so bad off, we can't even charge him with anything.

[Ted Cruz]

So they concluded if they charged him, he would be found not competent to be convicted. That is a stunning. Look, there's a standard. There are people that are not competent to be tried. If you have dementia, if you're like mentally ill, that, that you're not able. The legal standard is you have to form what's called mens rea which is intent. And they said, well, he's so old and senile, you we can't charge him. So that's why they said, oh, yeah, he clearly violated the law. He committed a felo felony. Remember, he kept classified materials everywhere, including his garage next to his antique car.

[Ben Ferguson]

Not a joke. That's real.

[Ted Cruz]

And they said he was guilty of that, but they couldn't charge him because he was incompetent to stand trial. I want you to listen in, in 2023 to me laying out that his mental decline and MSNBC Morning Joe making fun of me for it.

[Ben Ferguson]

This is like one of their big intros. May 4, 2023, 2011.

[Ted Cruz]

When Republicans in the House stood strong on the debt ceiling again because Democrats had had majority of the Congress for two years, had passed trillions in irresponsible spending. And Republicans stood strong and said, we will not raise the debt ceiling without serious fiscal reform. What happened then? Vice President Joe Biden came and negotiated a deal, a deal called the Budget Control Act. Vice President Biden sat down with House Republicans and reached a meaningful compromise. President Joe Biden needs to do the same thing. And I'll say, sadly, the reason he hasn't so far, I believe, is because his mental faculties are too diminished right now.

[Chuck Schumer]

You know, hold on, hold on, hold on.

[Ben Ferguson]

What?

[Chuck Schumer]

He has such a point.

[Ted Cruz]

Yes.

[Chuck Schumer]

His mental faculties are so diminished that he passed more bipartisan. Signed more bipartisan legislation.

[Ben Ferguson]

I didn't even know he was doing it last year.

[Chuck Schumer]

Than any president since lbj. My God, if he were as cogent as he had been in 2011, he could have been like, you could have gone back to fdr.

[Ryan Seacrest]

What else he did without apparently realizing.

[Ted Cruz]

What he was doing.

[Ryan Seacrest]

He held NATO together to fight Russian aggression in Ukraine. And just amazing.

[Chuck Schumer]

My God. I know. He only increased 800 miles. Border NATO with. With. With Russia.

[Ted Cruz]

Exactly.

[Ryan Seacrest]

But I guess he, you know, he thought he was.

[Ben Ferguson]

I hate it when that happens.

[Chuck Schumer]

You know, it reminds me of Ronald Reagan when he was speaking at Harvard, a Eureka College grad. And he's sitting there talking to the grads and he's making fun of his education. At the end, he goes, you know, sometimes I just sit here with a presidential seal in front of him and I wonder what I could have been with a good education. Go back and read Reagan. You'll learn a lot.

[Ben Ferguson]

Go back and read Reagan. He says, by golly, I. I mean, I love this. And by the way, we do know who was doing it now. It was either a and auto pen or a bunch of old staffers. For many of you listening to us around the country radio, I if it's your first time, so nice to have you guys with us. Don't forget it. All the audio that you heard in the show will be in the podcast. So share the podcast wherever you are. And we do this show as a podcast three days a week as well. So download Verdict with Ted Cruz wherever you get your podcast and we'll see you back here on this radio station next week.

[Ryan Seacrest]

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[Ted Cruz]

This is an iHeart podcast.