The White House is no stranger to controversy, but the latest saga of Joe Biden and Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre is one for the books.
At a joint press conference with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in the White House Rose Garden, a photographer captured Biden’s “cheat sheet” which included the name of LA Times reporter Courtney Subramanian and her prepared question.
This raises an eyebrow, as the question Subramanian asked wasn’t the same as the one that was listed on the sheet, yet the President had it in front of him before she even asked it. This begs the question: did the White House deliberately try to manipulate the press conference to make the President look good?
The White House press corps was quick to raise the issue with Jean-Pierre, as Fox News White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich asked her why the President needed the cheat sheet. Jean-Pierre defended her boss, saying that it was normal for a President to be briefed on reporters who will be asking questions at a press conference, and that “specific questions” weren’t planned in advance.
Gray Television White House reporter Jon Decker attempted to press the press secretary on the question’s similarity to the one listed on the sheet, but Jean-Pierre quickly shut him down, saying “I’m not taking calls, Jacqui’s not done. Your colleague is not done. Can you wait your turn?”
This lack of transparency from the White House is unacceptable, and it’s concerning that the President would need a cheat sheet to answer questions. It’s bad enough that the President is trying to control the press and the narrative, but it’s even worse when the Press Secretary turns away journalists who are simply trying to do their job.
The public deserves to know exactly what is going on at the White House, and Jean-Pierre needs to be more open and transparent. The White House press corps should not have to wait their turn, and the President needs to be held accountable for his actions. If the President and his staff continue to try to manipulate the press, they need to be held to a higher standard and held accountable for their actions.
