
(PresidentialWire.com)- President Joe Biden might not actually be aware that he’s the president. At least, that’s how it seems whenever he tells journalists that he isn’t “supposed” to take questions or that he has been “instructed” to only take questions from certain journalists.
In a Fox News piece, columnist Brian Flood noted that the president has now done this so many times that he is actively implying that he isn’t actually in charge.
Flood noted that Biden has said on many times that his handlers set the rules and decide when and where he is allowed to take questions and that it all started during his first-ever White House press conference after being president in January. After he gave a speech about his “Made In America” manufacturing initiative – that did little more than what President Donald Trump had already achieved through tariffs and the lowering of domestic taxes – Biden’s staff could be heard calling on reporters to ask their questions.
It has happened many times since then, but it became even more noticeable in the wake of the Afghanistan withdrawal crisis. On Sunday, Biden explicitly said that he wasn’t “supposed to take any questions” about Afghanistan during a visit to the FEMA headquarters as Hurricane Ida hit Louisiana.
He eventually let one journalist ask a question, before quickly shutting them down as soon as they mentioned Afghanistan.
BIDEN AT FEMA:
President Biden: "I'm not supposed to take any questions but go ahead."
Reporter: "Mr. President, on Afghanistan –"
President Biden: "I'm not going to answer Afghanistan now." pic.twitter.com/lHHnPcIafN
— Forbes (@Forbes) August 29, 2021
It seems as though Biden is always waiting to learn what the official line is on any topic the press is interested in before actually answering the question.
And don’t forget in August when he said that he was “instructed” to call on certain journalists.
See:
Joe Biden says that he "was instructed to call on" specific reporters for questions.
Who is calling the shots here? pic.twitter.com/K24AH81g1L
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) August 26, 2021
And then in June when Biden said, “as usual, folks, they gave me a list of the people I’m going to call on.”
BIDEN: "I'll take your questions and as usual, folks, they gave me a list of the people I'm going to call on" pic.twitter.com/RdAks1RIdp
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) June 16, 2021
As usual?
Is the president trying to pretend this is normal?
Read the full and illuminating piece here.