Joe Biden’s first presidential press conference was notable for what was missing after predecessor Donald Trump, writes Davids Bauder for the Associated Press: no contentious exchanges with reporters, no Fox News and no questions about Covid-19. The latter omission was probably the least expected.
Many in the media were impatient, as Biden had not undergone a formal question and answer session with reporters until his 65th day at the office. When he finally did on Thursday, it was broadcast live on major cable news and broadcast networks.
Before answering a question, Biden announced that he was setting a new goal of administering 200 million doses of coronavirus vaccine during his first 100 days in office.
And that was it. None of the 10 reporters who questioned him, some on various topics, brought up the subject. Noting this in a tweet, Sheryl Stolberg of the New York Times said the questions “suggest that the coronavirus is no longer Topic A.”
“It sure is for the American people and for the Biden White House,” tweeted the White House chief of staff, Ron Klain.
Four questioners mentioned immigration and the Mexican border, while three asked about obstruction, the Senate’s mysterious rule that will be the key to passing legislation. With less than three months in office, Biden was asked whether he would run for re-election and whether Vice President Kamala Harris would be on his ticket.
Biden was occasionally blunt, occasionally windy, and occasionally cautious in answering questions. When a Bloomberg reporter asked specific questions about economic policy and China, Biden instead embarked on a long verbal treatise on relations between the two countries.
A gun control issue evolved into a lengthy discussion about the president’s infrastructure plans.
Some reporters, noting the improbability of being called again while Biden consulted a list for reporters to answer questions, asked questions on various topics – a practice that rarely produces results and often irritates the viewer.
While former President Trump’s sessions with reporters sometimes included unpleasant exchanges, there was none of that with Biden. Although it was sometimes pressured, as when Kristen Welker of NBC unsuccessfully tried to censor Biden for access to the media on the Mexican border, there was nothing particularly harsh.
With only 10 reporters called, some were left out. This quickly became a problem at Fox, where the headline “Biden despises Fox News during the First News Conf” was put on the screen.