Byron York's Daily Memo: An embarrassing day for the White House press corps
by Byron York, Chief Political Correspondent |
| March 26, 2021 08:42 AM AN EMBARRASSING DAY FOR THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS CORPS. There was a huge buildup before President Biden's first formal news conference Thursday. Why had he waited 64 days to meet the press? Were his White House press handlers worried he would commit some classic Biden gaffes? Would he do just that?
Biden was Biden. He handled some questions competently. He wandered around on others. He seemed most energized when he blamed his predecessor, President Donald Trump, for the mess at the border that his own policies have created. He stonewalled the press on the question of letting reporters -- and the nation -- see the overcrowded pens in which his administration is keeping illegal border crossers who are unaccompanied minors. "I will commit to transparency as soon as I am in a position to be able to implement what we are doing right now," Biden said. In other words -- you'll see it when we want you to see it, and not a minute before.
But Biden's performance wasn't the worst in the East Room on Thursday. The ten reporters selected by the White House to ask questions ignored major issues, failed to follow up, and, in at least one instance, attempted to flatter Biden in a performance that added up to an embarrassment for the White House press corps.
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