If I remember correctly, when Joe Biden shuffled into the White House in January 2021, we were all told that we could finally heave a sigh of relief. After all, the adults were back in charge, right? Does anyone know when those adults are planning to show up?
On Wednesday, Biden hosted Israeli President Isaac Herzog. Fox News reported that the meeting was to discuss an agreement between Israel and Lebanon. At the end of the discussion, the pair looked at the assembled journalists. As usual, the reporters had questions and began shouting them. But Biden’s aides, for reasons probably unfathomable to actual grown-ups, began shouting in the faces of the reporters. You can watch the ensuing cacophony below:
As if that stunt was not enough, Biden apparently enjoyed the display, smirking, pulling faces, mimicking the reporters, and at one point, slapping his knee. Let’s be clear, this was a White House event with a world leader, not a visit to Disney World’s Country Bear Jamboree. Not that Biden would have known the difference. God only knows what Herzog thought of this scene.
The press scrum is a sort of a tradition, but Biden’s antipathy to the media is well known. He has on occasion had harsh words for journalists and has referred to them in a belittling manner. It might be because he simply cannot handle the press, or whatever mental condition is affecting him makes it difficult for him to process information in these situations. And of course, he is known for his “creative” speaking abilities that have called his mental state into question. And with the midterms looming, the rest of the administration may want to keep his comments on anything to an absolute minimum:
The Biden WH seems *particularly intent* on the press not asking any q's of POTUS 14 days out from the midterms, w/WH aides screaming in the faces of reporters who try to ask Biden q's following each event today.
— Nancy Cook (@nancook) October 26, 2022
Of course, the Twitter creatures climbed out of the sewer to take Nancy Cook down for her tweet. But let’s be honest: The aides could have said, “Sorry, we don’t have time for questions. Please talk to the Press Secretary if you would like more information.” Or they could have just ignored the scrum and hustled Biden and Herzog out of the room with a “Thank you very much for coming!” from Biden. But instead, White House aides appeared to have used the tactics found on daycare playgrounds everywhere. They threw a massive tantrum. Did they come up with his tactic on their own, or did a senior staffer recommend this response? Are the Democrats this desperate or are they truly this immature?
Related: Who’s in Charge of Joe Biden?
These are the adults we have been waiting for? These are the people in charge? If so, the worst is yet to come. But more to the point, has the White House Press Corps figured out the mess it has on its hands? Probably so, but you might be hard-pressed to find more than one or two journalists who will acknowledge that the Emperor has forgotten his suit for the umpteenth time and that his handlers are co-dependent.
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