One would think that after a period of an infamously awful relationship between the US media and The White House, the Biden administration would be quick to want to heal that bond. This has not been the case.
Joe Biden finally scheduled a press conference on the 25th March- the first in the two months of his presidency. To put things into perspective, Trump held his first solo press conference on the 27th day of his presidency, and Obama on his 20th. So why so long?
When Jen Psaki, Biden’s press secretary was asked this question, she answered: “This President has come in during two historic crises, a pandemic the country has not seen in decades, and an economic downturn that left 10 million people out of work.” She later claimed that Biden’s focus is on “getting recovery and relief to the American people”. Some view this as extremely positive and logical. Others, contrastingly, believe now, with two historic crises, is a crucial time for the American public to have some sort of faith in their leader.
Politico’s Jack Shafer wrote that this may be due to the fact that “Biden … understands that popular presidents don’t really need press conferences''. Yet, as the article says, avoiding the press helps to “clarify government policy”, aiding in transparency of the executive branch and informing the American people. (Politico, 2021)
Whilst it is better late than never, Biden’s avoidance of the press shows a reluctance to show the work that he is doing. Hopefully, it will be informative on the President’s next action and we will not have to wait so long for the next one.
Written by Jess Urquhart
Artwork by Zara Masood
Comments