Only 30 reporters were allowed into the White House today to cover Joe Biden’s first solo press conference, with only 10 allowed to put questions to him.
Months after he took office, Joe Biden launched his first solo press conference at the White House on Thursday, which had been described as an effort to prove that the Biden administration was being “transparent” in their dealings, and to provide better access to the press. However, despite such apparent motives, only 30 reporters were even allowed into the press conference, with only 10 being granted access to ask Biden questions at all.
Emerald Robinson, the White House Correspondent for Newsmax, one of the most conservative reporters allowed into the White House, was placed right at the back of the room, far away from Biden. Robinson tweeted that Biden had clearly “rehearsed” his answers to questions that had been “planted through the corporate press today,” highlighting that he referred back to his notes and lists of reporters. “Is this how you comfort Americans that you’re capable of doing the job?” she asked.
Biden has clearly rehearsed his answers to questions planted through the corporate press today. He looks down at his notes at one point & says "where am I?" on the list of reporters!
Is this how you comfort Americans that you're capable of doing the job? https://t.co/xKqLP5gJA1
— Emerald Robinson
(@EmeraldRobinson) March 25, 2021
One America News Network’s Chanel Rion explained further, “Only 30 reporters allowed into the White House today to cover Biden’s first solo press conference in an effort to show ‘transparency’ and press access.” After the conference, Rion added, “UPDATE: Of the 30, Biden took questions from 10.
UPDATE: Of the 30, Biden took questions from 10.
— Chanel Rion OAN (@ChanelRion) March 25, 2021
The press conference itself was chock full of bizarre gaffes and “senior moments” from Joe Biden. As National File reported:
Just four minutes in, Biden said “And the other thing we’re doing, I might add,” then cut himself off. “Am I giving you too long of an answer? Because if you don’t want the detail …” muttered Biden. “I don’t know how much detail you want about immigration,” he added “Maybe I’ll stop there.”
In one instance, when asked about ending the filibuster, Biden said “I’m going to say something outrageous,” then promptly forgot what he was saying. “So, the best way to get something done, if you, if you hold near and dear to you that you uh, um, like to be able to uh, anyway,” said the President.
Another puzzling moment occurred when Biden falsely claimed that he came to the US Senate 120 years ago. “With regard to the filibuster, I believe we should go back to a position of the filibuster that existed just when I came to the United States Senate 120 years ago,” said Biden.
"I'm going to say something outrageous" pic.twitter.com/XZN1UWu3Nr
— The Liberty Broadcast (@TheLibertyBcast) March 25, 2021