On Tuesday, September 3, 2024, President Biden gave a speech at the White House, discussing the Investing in America agenda. He highlighted the key achievements of his administration, while sidestepping questions from the press, stirring up a buzz on social media regarding transparency and media accessibility.
In his speech, Biden underscored the economic strides the country has made, expressing, “COVID no longer controls our lives. We’ve gone from economic crisis to the strongest economy in the world, literally. Record 16 million new jobs, record small business growth, record stock market, record high 401Ks, wages are up, inflation is down, way down and continuing to come down, and the smallest racial wealth gap in 20 years.”
The address was part of the Investing in America Content Series Kickoff Event, where local leaders and community members shared their experiences benefiting from the administration’s investments in areas such as infrastructure, clean energy, manufacturing, and healthcare.
Mayor Woodfin from Birmingham, Alabama talked about the wage, employment, and innovation growth his city has seen due to the administration’s support.
Chairwoman Flores of the Colorado River Indian Tribes discussed how the American Rescue Plan and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding has helped the Tribe tackle water infrastructure problems and promote community development.
However, following his speech, Biden unexpectedly avoided answering questions from the press. After concluding his speech with “May God protect our troops,” he spent about 60 seconds gathering his belongings while ignoring questions from reporters before being escorted out of the room. Reporters were heard asking about critical issues such as the Israel-Hamas war, free IVF treatment, and high grocery prices, as the President smiled and staffers guided them out, saying, “Thank you, press.”
This lack of interaction has sparked renewed concerns about the President’s engagement with the media. News outlets, including The New York Times, have previously criticized Biden for not conducting enough direct press interviews.
The Times stressed that while it’s within Biden’s rights to avoid their publication specifically, it’s crucial for him to engage with major news outlets generally.
An analysis by presidential scholar Martha Joynt Kumar shows that Biden has held fewer press conferences and media interviews than any of the last seven presidents at the same period in their terms. The President has held only 36 press conferences and 125 media interviews, significantly less than his predecessors. However, Biden has conducted more informal question-and-answer sessions with the press corps, with 588 such sessions on record.
The White House has defended Biden’s media engagement, stating he has conducted 45 interviews this year and regularly interacts with the public through digital strategies and local media. Nevertheless, the President’s limited media appearances have provoked concerns about his age and mental sharpness, leading to allegations that his team is attempting to conceal his true condition from the public.
There is an increasing frustration and mistrust between the White House press corps and the administration due to Biden’s approach to media interactions. The press corps has been pushing for more access and information, resulting in heated exchanges between the press secretary and reporters in the White House briefing room. The White House maintains that its communication strategy plays to Biden’s strengths and focuses on direct communication with the public.
However, critics argue that this approach undermines the democratic principles of accountability and transparency. There is a growing perception that the administration is withholding information about Biden’s condition, leading to what some describe as a “credibility crisis” for the White House.
