CNN anchorJake Tapperrevealedduring an appearanceon "The Megyn Kelly Show" to promote his book "Original Sin" that he had apologized toLara Trumpfor shutting down an interview after the 2020 Democratic National Convention when she said then-candidateJoe Bidenwas experiencing mental decline. Tapper told the former Fox News host and conservative podcaster that he called the daughter-in-law ofPresident Donald Trump"months ago" to apologize for shutting down the interview. "She saw something that I did not see at the time, 100%," Tapper said. Biden'smental acuity while in officecontinues to be a lightning rod despiteTrumptaking office again in January. The focus on the former president's health wasreignited by the promotional tourfor the book and inflamed again when it was announced that Biden has beendiagnosed with prostate cancer. "You lectured her on how she was in no position to diagnose cognitive decline which you, which you guys do at length, including on page four of your book," Kelly said. Lara Trump had madedisparaging remarks at a "Women for Trump" 2020 campaign eventthat were played by Tapper on the October 2020 edition of "State of the Union," saying, "Every time he comes on stage and they turn to him, I'm like: 'Joe, can you get it out. Let's get the words out.'" Tapper then asked, "How do you think it makes little kids with stutters feel when they see you make a comment like that?" Trump then responded that she did not know Biden had a stutter, which was awell-documenteddisabilitythethen-presidential candidate has. "I think what we see on stage withJoe Biden, Jake, is very clearly a cognitive decline. That's what I'm referring to," Trump said. Tapper then shut down the interview, telling her, "I think you have absolutely no standing to diagnose somebody's cognitive decline." Tapper, along with co-author Alex Thompson of Axios, has also faced criticism of the book from the center and liberal wings of the political spectrum. Naomi Biden, the former president's granddaughter, called the book "political fairy smut for the permanent, professional chattering class"in an X post made Monday, May 19. Jon Stewart skewered the rolloutof the book on theMay 19 episode of the Daily Show, questioning why the authors held the information gathered for the book. "The news is selling you a book about news they should've told you was news a year ago for free," Stewart said. Stewart also pointed out that the continued promotion of the book on CNN could be seen in poor taste. "It's just fun to watch them not only continue to push the book in light of this difficult news, but to actually frame this difficult news as perhaps even more of a reason to buy this book," Stewart said. Kieth Olbermann, the liberal commentator and former MSNBC host, went further than his former cable rival on theMay 19 edition of "Countdown with Keith Olbermann." "The car in which all of the Biden acuity truthers and reporters and book writers and finger-waggers and editors in Washington has just stopped suddenly." Olbermann said. "They have been ejected from vehicle from which they were climbing over each other to drive it faster and faster, and you deserve it utterly, Tapper and Alex Thompson." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Jake Tapper says he apologized to Lara Trump over 2020 interview
