During a White House event Friday President Biden seemingly apologized for allowing a reporter to ask a question as his staff were shuffling journalists out of the room.
Biden was seated at a roundtable with activists on Women’s Equality Day to talk about abortion access.
After finishing one question, the president called on another reporter. At that point, staff interjected and Biden said ‘I’m sorry, I took control. I shouldn’t do that. I’m not allowed to do that.’
‘I think we’re going to go ahead and have the rest of the conversation closed press,’ a White House press wrangler says.
Biden sat silently as reporters continued to shout questions at him as staffers whisked them out of the room.
During a White House event Friday President Biden seemingly apologized for allowing a reporter to ask a question as his staff were shuffling journalists out of the room
After finishing one question, the president called on another reporter. At that point, staff interjected and Biden said ‘I’m sorry, I took control. I shouldn’t do that. I’m not allowed to do that’
Biden has made curious comments throughout his presidency suggesting he himself is not in charge of his communications with the press.
In December Biden appeared to ignore the advice of his aides when he took questions from reporters after delivering an address on the state of the coronavirus pandemic from the White House.
He abruptly ended the back-and-forth by saying ‘I’m not supposed to be having this press conference.’
He made a similar quip in May 2021. ‘You guys are bad, I’m not supposed to be answering all these questions. I’m supposed to leave but I can’t resist your questions,’ he told the White House press corps after remarks about coronavirus.
At other times, the president has been caught using cheat sheets and cue cards as he fields questions from the press.
One note card Biden was seen holding in June read:
‘YOU enter the Roosevelt Room and say hello to the participants.’
‘YOU take YOUR seat.’
‘YOU give brief comments (2 minutes)’
‘YOU thank participants’
‘YOU depart’
It is not the first time Biden appears to have been caught using a cheat sheet, after he was spotted with ready-made answers for the media during a talk on Ukraine earlier this year.
The President mistakenly showed photographers the list of instructions that said ‘take YOUR seat’, ‘YOU give brief comments’ and ‘YOU depart’
The 79-year-old was also instructed to speak to specific attendees, ask them questions and thank them before leaving the room