As the calendar hurtles toward the November general election, questions about President Joe Biden's age and mental acuity are only going to heat up.
Given that, it should come as little surprise that key Biden figures, like first lady Jill, have been on the offensive lately, pointing the finger at presumptive GOP presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump, and calling him old and absent-minded.
Jill Biden, Ed.D.: "Joe isn't one of the most effective presidents of our lives in spite of his age, but because of it!" 🥴
NARRATOR: It's not about age — it's about cognitive decline. pic.twitter.com/ltZWBV9bvj
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 14, 2024
The problem for Team Biden is that even if you were to concede that Trump was just as doddering and feeble as Biden (he's clearly not, but let's allow it for this), it still doesn't explain away the actual doddering and feebleness from the incumbent president.
The good news for the Biden administration is that Joe could easily quash those criticisms with a strong and decisive live Q&A sessions with reporters.
The bad news for the Biden administration is that the good news requires Joe to speak to actual human beings -- and that usually doesn't go very well.
In fact, a recent Biden interaction with a reporter in Europe went so poorly that the White House Correspondents' Association actually had to snap back at the president.
Speaking jointly with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the G-7 Summit in Italy about the additional aid being provided to Ukraine, Biden seemed disturbed when Bloomberg reporter Josh Wingrove asked him an off-topic question, bringing up the situation in Israel.
The Media Research Center captured the moment, which you can watch below:
Journalist asks a question that's not on Biden's queue card.
Biden: I wish you guys would play by the rules a little bit pic.twitter.com/ZsvI3S9RQA
— Media Research Center (@theMRC) June 13, 2024
"Do you believe [Hamas terrorists] are trying to work towards a [ceasefire] deal, or is this response working against the deal?" Wingrove asked. "And what is your message to allies, including those here at the G-7 about what more, if anything, the U.S. can do to drive towards a peace agreement."
That's a tough, but certainly fair and pertinent question, particularly given the global flavorings of the G-7 Summit.
A sharper president could've had a verbal joust with Wingrave, but the actual president could muster no such feat. Instead, Biden came off looking like what he is being increasingly accused of being: A cranky grandpa.
"I wish you guys would play by the rules a little bit," Biden barely mumbled out. "I'm here to talk about a critical situation in Ukraine. You're asking another subject.
"I'll be happy to answer in detail later, but the bottom line is that we made an agreement."
Biden's little retort drew a swift response from the WHCA, which did not appreciate the implication that the reporters had to color within the lines.
Our WHCA statement following the president’s press conference in Italy today. pic.twitter.com/hBprZu48YV
— Kelly O'Donnell (@KellyO) June 13, 2024
NBC News reporter and WHCA President Kelly O'Donnell wrote: "The White House Correspondents’ Association believes it is in the public interest to make clear that at a presidential press conference, at home or abroad, there are no preconditions regarding question topics.
"While the White House does determine the number of reporters the president will recognize, it is up to professional journalists to decide what to ask.
"Any leader may prefer that reporters ask only one question or ask only about a topic that is of most interest to the president or another world leader, but a free press functions independently."
The most telling jab came at the very end, with a thinly-veiled reference to the fact that Biden is notoriously averse to answering live questions from reporters: "WHCA would welcome more opportunities to pose a range of questions to the president in a press conference setting."
Wouldn't we all, WHCA? Wouldn't we all?
