President Joe Biden arrived unannounced Friday afternoon to a White House press conference, quickly breaking into a scrum with reporters begging for answers to a host of pressing questions. Biden opened the briefing by extolling his administration’s economic accomplishments, but then the briefing became chaos when reporters swarmed over him asking about the Middle East, port strike and Hurricane Helene, as well as to learn more about what the vice president Kamala Harris did on recent disasters.
Biden, who has received negative attention for rarely speaking to reporters, first agreed to take a few questions after his prepared statements. Yet the president requested White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre select reporters on his behalf, adding an air of pomp to a strangely claustrophobic appearance.
Journalists Write About Themselves; Don’t Get Scratch the Hurricane?
Even with the extent of the damage from Hurricane Helene in the US southeast, not one question from the briefing addressed the government’s response to the disaster. Rather, a lot of it was focused on how things might become in the Middle East and Israel’s likely response to Iran’s attacks of late.
One reporter tried to contextualize the conversation by speculating on Biden’s role in managing all the current crises in our country, such as the hurricane and ongoing port strike. He was asked by the journalist: “Can you tell me about how your vice president (as a potential presidential candidate) has worked on these emergencies and her position over the last few days?”
Biden’s reply was vague and unfocused “Well, she’s— I’m always speaking to her. She knows where we’re all— we’re all on the same sheet. We, uh— she voted through all of these laws that are being used now,” Biden said. He continued that Harris was “a key figure in all we’ve done, even passed laws” but his statements hardly made any sense as to what her most recent role has been dealing with these crises.
Press Briefing Slips Into Chaos.
Biden’s reaction immediately triggered chaos when multiple reporters asked questions in an attempt to take advantage of the opportunity to ask the president directly. Biden was slightly surprised and smirked and stared into the crowd as Jean-Pierre tried to wrest back control.
I did not invoke you, Sir.” Jean-Pierre yelled at one journalist, as he clawed back the briefing room.
As he exited, a reporter inquired about Biden dropping out of the presidential race. “I’m back in,” said the president (he’s usually funny), and everybody laughed.
Hurricane Helene Response Incongruence.
Jean-Pierre carried on with Biden’s departure in a press conference addressing the many crises that the country is dealing with (the port strike) and Hurricane Helene. She wrote, “This kind of moment teaches us that we as Americans can lead and stay focused, and that we can do anything together.
Yet, back on the ground in the hurricane-ravaged areas, people and officials expressed dissatisfaction with the federal response. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (R), whose state was worst affected by the hurricane, chastised the administration for not listening enough to rural communities. We went to the White House,” Kemp said last week. “You know, you’re basically telling the president’s chief of staff, [the FEMA administrator]: Look, you’re telling some of these rural towns you don’t listen.
Jean-Pierre had taken aim at such charges at the briefing, but the administration’s response has worked, as most bipartisan leaders said. She also refuted claims that FEMA funds were rerouted for migrants on the border, which was an issue in recent political discussion.
Biden’s First Briefing Speech in Years
That was the first time Biden has addressed reporters face to face in the White House briefing room since taking office almost four years ago as journalists attending Friday know. As one journalist noted: “This was President Biden’s first visit, correct, to the press briefing room since he—”
Jean-Pierre interjected, saying “Oh. And you’re welcome. I know where this question is going to go. “It’s gonna be awesome.”
The reporter continued: “Why didn’t he come in the three and a half years ago?”
Jean-Pierre, ignoring the question, said, “I mean, he arrived today, and you saw him. And you came”.
Even if it had been a daily update on economic progress, the speech quickly turned into an expression of the increased tenseness and myriad crisis in the Biden-Harris administration just before the 2024 election.
This briefing is detailed in the full report of The Associated Press.
