Veteran CBS News reporter Jan Crawford said President Joe Biden's "obvious cognitive decline" was the most underreported story of 2024 prior to it becoming unavoidable after his disappointing debate performance against eventual President-elect Donald Trump this past summer.

“Undercovered and underreported, that would be, to me, Joe Biden’s obvious cognitive decline that became undeniable in the televised debate,” said Crawford, who serves as the network's chief legal correspondent, during an appearance on Face the Nation Sunday (December 29) morning.

The journalist then acknowledged the Wall Street Journal's recent report on White House aides allegedly covering up Biden's mental decline during the last four years, which reportedly included limiting the 82-year-old president's in-person interaction.

“And yet he insisted that he could still run for president. We should have much more forcefully questioned whether he was fit for office for another four years, which could have led to a primary for the Democrats,” Crawford said on Face the Nation. “It could have changed the scope of the entire election.”

Biden, the oldest president in history, appeared opposite Trump on the debate stage in June for the first time since the 2020 election and did little to quell concerns about his vigor and energy. The president appeared to struggle with his voice, clearing his throat and coughing multiple times, and was often seen open-mouthed and staring when Trump spoke, occasionally struggling to finish sentences.

Biden's performance reportedly led to "panic" among Democrats, according to longtime Democratic operative and CNN senior political commentator David Axelrod, which was followed by several Democratic members of Congress calling for him to drop out of the race, eventually complying in July. Vice President Kamala Harris quickly emerged as Biden's replacement and was reported to have a polling surge, however, was handily defeated by Trump in the 2024 presidential election in November.

Emery Songer