In the eyes of White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield, “the president never shies away from taking questions.”
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According to Fox News:
White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield claimed Friday that President Joe Biden “never shies away from taking questions” from reporters, despite the sharp criticism he’s received for avoiding media queries.
Bedingfield made the media rounds Friday as Biden, who will speak later at the White House, grapples with the worst foreign policy crisis of his presidency in Afghanistan.
“Will President Biden, after his remarks today, take questions? He’s given a couple of speeches, he did the interview with ABC News, but the White House press corps. and the American people have a lot of direct questions for him. Will he take those today?” MSNBC host Willie Geist asked Bedingfield as she appeared on “Morning Joe.”
…
In May, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki admitted that Biden taking impromptu reporter questions was not something her team recommended and claimed she often tells him, “Don’t take questions.”
🤔
“The president never shies away from taking questions." pic.twitter.com/MyT0tcvg8a
— Kenneth P. Vogel (@kenvogel) August 20, 2021
Aside from not regularly taking questions from reporters Biden also lags behind the sit-down interview numbers given by President Trump and President Obama.
White House: "The president never shies away from taking questions."
They're joking, right?
Biden's taken fewer questions than any recent president.
By this point in their term, Obama had done 113 interviews and Trump 50.
Biden? 9. pic.twitter.com/zjpGAidvmH
— Jody Hice (@JodyHiceFRCA) August 20, 2021
Delusional and dishonest. https://t.co/j8OO9rz5FA
— Tom Cotton (@TomCottonAR) August 20, 2021
We know President Biden's been shying away from taking questions, avoiding the press, and focusing on other issues than the pressing situation in Afghanistan.
But VP Harris bears responsibility, too. Where is she?
Where is the accountability? The transparency?
— Rep. Cammack Press Office (@RepKatCammack) August 20, 2021