The Big Picture: 

Chris Cillizza, once a prominent voice at CNN, has now come clean about not digging deep enough into President Biden's mental and physical health issues.

What's Happening:

• Confession: Cillizza confesses he should have "pushed harder" on scrutinizing Biden's well-being while at CNN, especially after reports from The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal highlighted Biden's decline.

• Apology: In a video on his YouTube channel, Cillizza admits to not taking the issue seriously when Republicans raised concerns during his tenure at CNN from 2020 to 2022.

• “Age Shaming”: He notes that the Biden administration's defense was to label scrutiny as "age shaming," which influenced his approach.

Why It Matters:

• Media Accountability: Cillizza's late admission underscores a broader issue of media bias, where questioning the health of a Democrat was sidestepped, potentially skewing public perception.

• Public Trust: This confession could further erode trust in mainstream media, as it hints at a reluctance to report on inconvenient truths about political figures aligned with their perceived biases.

• Cillizza only felt free to speak out after leaving CNN, suggesting a culture within the network that might have discouraged such critical reporting.

• The acknowledgment comes too late for many, as Biden's tenure in office concludes, raising questions about the effectiveness of media scrutiny on elected officials' fitness for office.

Christmas Horror: Car plows into crowded Christmas market in Germany, suspected terror attack

The big picture: A vehicle crashed into a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, leading to multiple injuries and at least one death.

What happened: On Friday evening, a car drove into a group of shoppers at a Christmas market in eastern Germany, an incident authorities are investigating as a deliberate attack.

• Casualties: At least one person was killed, with reports suggesting between 60 to 80 people were injured.

• Response: The driver was quickly arrested, and emergency services responded to the scene.

Context: This tragic event echoes past incidents, including a 2016 attack in Berlin where an Islamist extremist used a truck to kill 13 and injure dozens at a Christmas market.

Biden’s BIG last minute giveaway: Forgiving $4 billion in student loans

The big picture: In a final push before his term ends, President Joe Biden has announced the forgiveness of $4.28 billion in student loans for 54,900 public service workers through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.

Why it matters: This move, while providing relief to some, is seen by conservatives as a last-ditch effort by the Biden administration to curry favor with voters, especially as these actions are unlikely to continue under the incoming Trump administration.

The backdrop:

• The PSLF program, which has been fraught with issues, has seen significant improvements under Biden, but critics argue this is taxpayer money being redistributed to a select group.

The critique:

• Critics argue this forgiveness represents an unfair burden on taxpayers, many of whom never attended college or have already paid off their loans.

• There's a concern that this policy encourages colleges to increase tuition, knowing the government might foot the bill.

California girl’s volleyball team QUITS amid transgender athlete scandal

The Big Picture: San Jose State University (SJSU) has acknowledged the departure of seven volleyball players from the team, following a season dominated by controversy over a transgender athlete.

The Scandal:

• Trans Athlete Controversy: The season was marred by the inclusion of a transgender player on the SJSU women's volleyball team, leading to significant internal and external tensions.

• Forfeits and Turmoil: The team faced eight match forfeits, which, combined with national scrutiny, police protection, and locker room disputes, set the stage for the mass exodus.

The Response:

• SJSU's Statement: The university expressed "respect" for the players' decisions to transfer, emphasizing the autonomy of student-athletes in their career choices.

The Impact:

• Player Morale: Assistant coach Melissa Batie-Smoose was suspended after filing a Title IX complaint about favoritism towards the transgender player, severely impacting team morale.

• Legal Actions: Claims emerged that the transgender player plotted to spike a teammate in the face, though investigations found no evidence. This led to further legal action against the university and conference.

The Aftermath:

• End of Season: The team's season concluded with a conference final loss to Colorado State, preventing the controversy from spilling into the NCAA tournament.

• Player Departures: Seven players have entered the transfer portal, signaling a significant roster turnover for the 2025 season.

• Team Events: Despite the chaos, the team managed some team-building moments like attending a magic show in Las Vegas and a Thanksgiving meal together.

The Bottom Line: This season at SJSU has been a cautionary tale for women's sports, highlighting the potential for division and turmoil when biological differences are not considered in athletic competition. The university's response, while respectful, seems insufficient to address the root of the controversy, leaving many to question the future of fairness in women's sports.