CNN anchors had an amusing reaction when President Joe Biden ignored the insistent shouts of an eager reporter while boarding Air Force One on the Friday, December 8, installment of CNN News Central.
Katelyn Polantz and John Berman were discussing Hunter Biden's recent indictment — the first son was hit with nine tax charges in California earlier this week — while waiting to see if President Biden would take any questions regarding the bombshell legal move.
"Actually, let’s pause for one minute here. He’s headed to Nevada for a campaign trip and also for an infrastructure event. These are the places where occasionally reporters and members of the White House pool can get questions to the president of the United States," Berman explained. "Sometimes presidents, including President Biden, choose to answer them."
As the 80-year-old walked toward the plane, a journalist could be heard yelling for the president's attention repeatedly.
"MR. PRESIDENT! MR. PRESIDENT! ... MR. PRESIDENT! YOUR REACTION?" the reported screamed, but President Biden only appeared to crack a smile before boarding the aircraft.
"All right. That’s a hard pass from the president of the United States, Joe Biden," Berman added with a laugh. "A hard pass on answering questions."
"The reporters, as far as we could tell, didn’t even get to the question. They were just trying to get his attention to ask a question," he continued. "President Biden choosing not to answer anything about his son, Hunter, at least today."
Never miss a story — sign up for the OK! newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what OK! has to offer. It’s gossip too good to wait for!
This comes one day after Hunter was charged with three felonies and six misdemeanors in connection with owing over $1 million in taxes from 2016 through 2019. Special counsel David Weiss claimed the 53-year-old "spent millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle rather than paying his tax bills."
These charges are in addition to his prior gun charges in Delaware for allegedly purchasing a firearm while being an active drug user.
Never miss a story — sign up for the OK! newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what OK! has to offer. It’s gossip too good to wait for!
President Biden is struggling with Hunter's legal woes, according to former press secretary Michael LaRosa.
"Every day, this president wakes up and thinks about his deceased son [Beau] and probably cries every day. And the weight of [Hunter’s legal troubles] is equally emotionally taxing," he alleged, adding that the 80-year-old has expressed concerns "that he might be dead before his son’s case would be resolved."
