British Prime Minister Boris Johnson took questions from the American media inside the White House this week while President Joe Biden refused to speak with the reporters, prompting his handlers to usher the media out of the Oval Office.
“IN THE OVAL OFFICE… @POTUS Biden and British PM @BorisJohnson meet to discuss pandemic, trade and other issues. Johnson took 3 questions. White House aides shouted down U.S. attempts to ask questions. I asked Biden about southern border and we couldn’t decipher what he said,” posted CBS News’ Ed O’Keefe on Twitter.
IN THE OVAL OFFICE… @POTUS Biden and British PM @BorisJohnson meet to discuss pandemic, trade and other issues. Johnson took 3 questions. White House aides shouted down U.S. attempts to ask questions. I asked Biden about southern border and we couldn’t decipher what he said. pic.twitter.com/A86kgdfsuc
— Ed O'Keefe (@edokeefe) September 21, 2021
UPDATE: We have played back the tape and part of the president’s answer is decipherable. I asked for his response to the situation on the southern border and he says in part, “Violence is not justified.”
He is wearing a mask and there is shouting so nothing else is decipherable
— Ed O'Keefe (@edokeefe) September 21, 2021
WH Staff handler abruptly ends meeting fearing Biden will make a fool out of himself (again) in front of PM Boris Johnson pic.twitter.com/edy9Eil7RB
— SgtPepper1964 (@SPepper1964) September 22, 2021
Shortly after the meeting the press pool filed a formal complaint to Press Secretary Jen Psaki’s office.
“US @WhiteHousepress pool immediately protests Oval Office treatment. (This dispatch from radio pooler and @whca president @stevenportnoy.),” Voice of America journalist Steve Herman reported.
“The entire editorial component of the US pool went immediately into Jen Psaki’s office to register a formal complaint that no American reporters were recognized for questions in the president’s Oval Office, and that wranglers loudly shouted over the president as he seemed to give an answer to Ed O’Keefe’s question about the situation at the Southern Border. Biden’s answer could not be heard over the shouting,” the statement reads. “Psaki was unaware that the incident had occurred, and suggested that she was not in position to offer an immediate solution. Your pooler requested a press conference. Psaki suggested the president takes questions several times a week.”
Read the full report at Fox News.
AMERICA’S BACK? Biden to Deliver UN Address as International Crises Pile-Up
Joe Biden is set to deliver his first address as President of the United States to the United Nations General Assembly Tuesday amid a series of international crises in Afghanistan, the US-Mexico border, China, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
“His familiar refrain that the world must choose between democracy and autocracy looks different now that the Taliban are once again in control of Kabul, reversing many of the democratic gains of the past 20 years. Covid is resurging in much of the world. And the French just recalled their ambassador in outrage — not just over losing a $60 billion-plus submarine contract, but because it was made clear they are not in the inner circle of allies,” reports the New York Times.
“He will make absolutely clear he is not looking to pursue a future — a new Cold War with any country in the world,’’ Jen Psaki, his press secretary, told reporters on Monday. “And in between a one-day blitz through New York, he is trying to reach President Emmanuel Macron of France, to reaffirm our commitment to working with one of our oldest and closely partners,’’ she added.
Biden arrived in New York City Monday evening and is expected to deliver his address at 3PM Tuesday afternoon.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
BAD NEWS for BIDEN: Poll Shows 69% of Americans Disapprove of President’s Handling of Afghanistan
A new poll from the Trafalgar Group shows a vast majority of Americans disapprove of Joe Biden’s handling of Afghanistan, raising serious new questions for Democrats heading into the highly contested midterm elections.
“When broken down by party, 48 percent of Democrats disapprove of the president’s handling of the situation, while almost 40 percent of those polled gave him positive marks,” reports The Hill.
“But the gap was much wider among Republicans: Nearly 89 percent said they disapprove of the job Biden is doing when it comes to Afghanistan, with only 7 percent saying they approve,” adds the outlet.
Poll: Majority of Americans disapprove of Biden's handling of Afghanistan https://t.co/Vp2G8sYGhU pic.twitter.com/gSxDkkWL31
— The Hill (@thehill) August 17, 2021
President Joe Biden returned to his vacation at Camp David Monday evening after delivering a brief address on the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. In total, he was in Washington for a span of just a few hours.
“This is what failed and weak leadership looks like. President Biden is headed back to vacation after his speech on the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan,” posted the House Republicans on Twitter.
This is what failed and weak leadership looks like.
President Biden is headed back to vacation after his speech on the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/3NWV7rJ148
— House Republicans (@HouseGOP) August 16, 2021
US Troops shot and killed two armed gunmen at Kabul’s Airport Monday as thousands of Afghans attempted to flee the country while the Taliban rapidly seizes control.
“In separate incidents at the airport on Monday, U.S. troops shot and killed two armed men at the airport and at least three Afghans clinging to the side of an Air Force jet were run over and killed,” reports the Wall Street Journal.
At least 7,000 US Soldiers will be deployed to protect the airport and evacuate American citizens in the days ahead.
Biden will address the country today, as Afghans clinging to US planes fall to their deaths in Kabul. Hard to script a worse propaganda victory for our enemies as we approach the 20th anniversary of 9/11. There is nothing Biden can say now to right the wrong of his failed policy.
— Sarah Huckabee Sanders (@SarahHuckabee) August 16, 2021
Read the full report here.