When Presidentish Joe Biden stages a “surprise” burger order as part of a political ploy to boast about the economy, what’s a respected newspaper to do?
Gush like a schoolgirl, apparently.
In his official capacity as an elected official who can’t even order lunch without making it political, Biden called a new local restaurant to order a burger with a side of braggadocio.
Ordered a bacon cheeseburger from a local restaurant yesterday to celebrate over 10 million new small business applications during my presidency.
I may’ve caught Brittany off guard. pic.twitter.com/rP8i8a0ny0
— President Biden (@POTUS) January 18, 2023
Brittany was caught so off guard that she was well-lit and on her mark for the camera she pretended not to notice.
She wasn’t expecting a call from POTUS, mind you, but from the videography to the drooling press coverage, the whole thing was more stagey than a high school production of Our Town.
Sensible people on Twitter — that’s a thing, seriously — had a blast with Team Biden’s sad attempt at mock spontaneity, because of course we did.
It’s unseemly enough for Biden to brag about small business creation after this country — in a lockdown effort led mostly by Democrats — put nearly half of the nation’s small businesses out of business. But when his handlers choose this moment — when tech and financial firms are laying off workers by the thousands — the ploy goes from being merely gauche to actively insulting.
And here’s the original tweet from Tuesday, before the White House made the promotional video:
Today, @VP and I ordered our lunch from @GhostburgerDC – one of the 10.5 million small businesses that have applied to start during our Administration.
If you missed the news, ketchup: that’s the most in a two-year period. Ever.
More proof that our economic plan is working. pic.twitter.com/qfqq1L91FE
— President Biden (@POTUS) January 17, 2023
The RNC’s Rapid Response Director, Tommy Pigott, noted that “food prices are up 10.4% from last year,” and that “Food banks say they are more stressed now than during the pandemic, with millions relying on their services to make ends meet.”
“That’s not an economic plan that’s ‘working,'” he concluded.
Indeed, but the most spot-on reply came from Invisible Constituent — a perfect handle in this case — who wrote, “Everyone should be insulted by how stupid this administration thinks you are. This tweet is so f***ing cringe.”
Everyone, that is, except for the Washington Post.
Food reporter Tim Carman had an 850-word puff piece ready to go for WaPo’s Wednesday morning edition.
I don’t exactly expect hard-hitting politico exposés from any paper’s food reporter, although maybe a little less gushing might be nice.
The White House noted that Biden has ordered for himself numerous times on trips around the country, most recently at Just Q’in BBQ in Cincinnati and Tacos 1986 in Los Angeles, where the president left a $20 tip.
White House aides picked up the burgers for Biden on Tuesday. Apparently they’re not as generous as their boss. Ghostburger includes a service charge with each order. There’s no line for a tip, Josh Phillips said, and the aides didn’t leave one. But Phillips quickly noted that the president had already left a gift: that phone call to Spaddy.
I think I just lost my lunch.
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