There are many ways to measure the accessibility of an American president. One way is by counting the press conferences. Now, by that count, President Biden seems invisible.
CNN White House reporter Kevin Liptak shared this note with colleagues on Wednesday: “While we wait for the news when President Biden will hold his first solo press conference, an analysis of the past 100 years shows that he is behind of his 15 most recent predecessors, they all held a solo press conference 33 days after taking office. “Liptak combed the university’s database to confirm the data.
Thursday will be Biden’s 43rd day in office. “Although he has answered questions from reporters on a number of occasions, including during sprays and a more formal question and answer session after an event in January, he did not give a formal press conference,” noted Liptak. “This includes a solo press conference or a 2 + 2 press conference during its two virtual ‘bilateral’ meetings with the leaders of Canada and Mexico.”
So, what is Biden waiting for? Approval of a Covid relief bill, possibly. NYT’s Katie Rogers brought this up when I asked about drought at the press conference last Sunday, “Trusted sources.”
After the broadcast, I heard from some viewers that the press should be more patient with Biden, in light of the hateful treatment that Trump gave the press. It is true that Trump has proven the limits of accessibility, since frequently asked questions and answers are hardly worth it when the answers are lies. But Trump isn’t the only reference for Biden – that’s why I enjoyed Liptak’s look a long time ago, showing that Ronald Reagan, John F. Kennedy, Harry Truman and Herbert Hoover, just to name a few, all held printers soon afterwards to be sworn in …
WH’s response
On Wednesday night, I asked White House press secretary Jen Psaki if she had an answer to the cry for a POTUS press. Psaki replied, “We hope to hold a full formal press conference, but in the meantime, the president answers questions from reporters who cover the White House regularly, including this morning. And his focus day after day is to reduce the pandemic and to control and put people back to work. That’s what people chose you for. “
In my opinion, reporters are right to press for more access to questions and answers and should not ease the pressure. Biden should use the press conference setup to tell the audience what he is doing …
Tucker coarse distortion
Here is a classic example of how Tucker Carlson from Fox takes something legit and turns it into BS commentary. Questions about when Biden will have a full press conference are legitimate – but
on Wednesday night Carlson went further and said that Biden is “refusing to speak directly to the media”. Strange, since Fox reporter at the White House, Peter Doocy, has interacted repeatedly with Biden this winter. This is not “silence”. Carlson then ridiculed Biden’s public speech and said that, after all, he didn’t want to see a presser: “It’s one thing to know that your country is being led by a guy in cognitive decline, it’s another thing to see it, and we don’t want to see it. “
For registration
– “Biden holds a 51% approval rating in a Monmouth U survey released on Wednesday”, slightly below 54% at the end of January … (Fox)
– One of Wednesday’s biggest stories: “Biden agreed to a commitment with moderate Democrats to restrict income eligibility for the next round of $ 1,400 stimulus checks …” (CNN)
– The Trump administrator “referred to a record number of classified leaks for criminal investigation, totaling at least 334”, according to a newly discovered DOJ document … (The Intercept)
– From the CNN fact-checking team: “In an opinion article published on Wednesday, former VP Mike Pence did something he used to do in office: repeat a” Trump “lie in a slightly more sophisticated way … “(CNN)
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