CNN’s Abby Phillip Admits Hur Report Actually ‘Undersold’ Severity of Biden’s Mental Decline
CNN anchor Abby Phillip said Friday that Special Counsel Robert Hur “undersold” former President Joe Biden’s cognitive issues in his report on Biden’s handling of classified documents.
Phillip made the comments on NewsNight after Axios released audio clips of Hur’s 2023 interview with Biden, which included moments where the president appeared confused, struggled to recall dates, and grew emotional discussing the death of his son Beau.
In one excerpt, Biden paused before saying, “What month did Beau die? Oh God, May 30th,” after stumbling over the timeline of events.
Another clip featured Biden saying, “Well, um… I, I, I, I, I don’t know,” when asked to recall details related to documents from 2017 or 2018.
Exclusive: Axios obtained the audio of Robert Hur's 2023 interviews of Biden which show repeated mental lapses as he struggles to remember words & dates amid long, uncomfortable pauses.
Biden WH didn't release it last year. Listen below.
w/ @MarcACaputo https://t.co/VJr2c9m3bh pic.twitter.com/Xoa0rQMtG9— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) May 16, 2025
Hur’s written report about Biden’s mishandling of classified documents described Biden as a “sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”
At the time, Democrats accused him of attempting to undercut Biden’s credibility and peppering the report with political bias.
But Phillip said Friday night that Hur may have actually downplayed what the audio revealed.
“In a way, Robert Hur kind of undersold this,” Phillip said. “He kind of threw Joe Biden a lifeline. It was an opportunity, actually, for Democrats to take it seriously, maybe change gears at that point, maybe give a potential nominee more time.”
Alex Thompson released numerous audio clips Friday and commented, “The audio shows what the transcript lacks — Biden’s dry-whisper voice and the long silences as he struggles to speak and remember details. Those often were supplied by his attorneys, who acted as caretakers of his memory.”
The audio shows what the transcript lacks — Biden's dry-whisper voice and the long silences as he struggles to speak and remember details.
Those often were supplied by his attorneys, who acted as caretakers of his memory.
There is also a clock in the background as a metronome. pic.twitter.com/Q782dT1f5n— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) May 16, 2025
In one clip, Biden veered off from the subject at hand to talk about Mongolia, horses, and archery. He also commented on “sumo wrestlers.”
Thompson commented, “Throughout his interview, Biden sounded more like a nostalgic, grandfatherly storyteller than a potential defendant who could be accused of hoarding secret papers. He waxed on about several topics, including shooting a bow and arrow in Mongolia. Here is that exchange.”
Throughout his interview, Biden sounded more like a nostalgic, grandfatherly storyteller than a potential defendant who could be accused of hoarding secret papers.
He waxed on about several topics including shooting a bow and arrow in Mongolia.
Here is that exchange. pic.twitter.com/I6QHiomhW8— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) May 16, 2025
Watch Phillip’s take above via CNN.
