Unwritten remarks begin to haunt President Biden

President BidenJoe Biden Aides who clashed with Giuliani intentionally gave him the wrong time to prepare for the Trump debate: Biden book says Eid al-Adha has “special significance” amid the Manchin pandemic to support the candidate for the post of head of public lands PLUS has been freer with his remarks in recent weeks, leading to slippages the White House has had to clean up.

The most recent example came on Friday, when Biden accused Facebook of “killing people” over misinformation spread on the social media network about the coronavirus vaccines.

It was a striking statement that sparked a furious reaction from Facebook. And on Monday, it became clear that Biden had gone further and been more biting than he expected.

Less than three days after his first remarks, the president backed down, saying Facebook “doesn’t kill people.”

“My hope is that Facebook, instead of taking it personally – that somehow I say Facebook is killing people – that they do something about the misinformation, the outrageous vaccine news. . That’s what I was trying to say.”

Biden’s return of his initial comments was the second time in recent weeks that he was forced to back down from the public comments that had caused a stir.

This caused some consternation among those close to the White House and sparked memories of Biden’s past blunders.

“A little despicable, I’m not going to lie,” said a top Democratic donor, who referred to the former President TrumpDonald TrumpGreene gets 12-hour Twitter suspension for COVID-19 disinformation Helpers who clashed with Giuliani intentionally gave him the wrong time to prepare for Trump debate: Book Overnight Defense: Afghan evacuees to be housed in the Virginia base | Biden seeks to empty Gitmo PLUS to emphasize the discomfort. “I think that stuff can be said with more art and less Trumpy.”

In the early months of administration, Biden was scripted in his remarks, rarely straying from prepared comments and talking points. But the president made a habit of answering journalists’ questions after the events at the White House, which led to more improvised and unsupervised moments in interactions with the press.

This back and forth led to unforced errors that required clarification from officials at Biden or the White House.

While traveling abroad in early June, Biden held a press conference at NATO headquarters where he called on a predetermined list of journalists. When he answered a question from another reporter in the room, he joked that he “was going to be in trouble with my staff”.

Days later in Switzerland, Biden again went beyond the initial list of reporters and answered a question from CNN’s Kaitlan Collins. The exchange on why Biden was confident in the Russian president Vladimir PoutineVladimir Vladimirovich Putin Biden opens a new cyber-fight with the Chinese state, the democrats call on Cruz to suspend key negotiations with Russia Where is “President Andrew Shepherd” when we need him? AFTER was about to change his behavior became so irritable that the president later apologized for “being so wise”.

In mid-June, Biden created a puzzle for the White House after telling reporters he would not sign a bipartisan infrastructure deal unless a reconciliation bill filled with Democratic priorities be also adopted. The out-of-script comments called into question a bipartisan deal hours after it was concluded, and Biden and White House officials spent the next few days denying the president was making a veto threat.

On Friday, while on his way to Marine One for a weekend at Camp David, Biden made the “killing people” remarks about Facebook.

Political observers say it’s clear the White House knew Biden’s comments on Facebook were exaggerated.

“It was a bridge too far,” said Tobe Berkovitz, associate professor of advertising and communications emeritus at Boston University and former media consultant. “Sometimes you say something so stupid, inaccurate, and ill-conceived that you have to go back. I’m sure the White House thought, “Let’s take our pieces on this one and move on.” “

Berkovitz called the Facebook failure “pure Uncle Joe,” adding, “You can’t keep the leash so tight.”

“It’s always improvised. He’s never been particularly good at it, ”he said. “Now, as president, it’s just higher stakes. “

“If it depended on the White House, less is more,” he added.

Yet there are those who believe that Biden’s outspoken speech has its advantages as well.

A Democratic strategist admitted that while the remarks could have been worded more delicately – or more on the message – voters love the real speech coming from Biden.

“I don’t think that’s a bad thing,” the quarterback said. “That’s what sets him apart from the rest. This is who Joe Biden is.

But the strategist said Biden’s impromptu remarks demonstrated a loosening of the guard.

“This is the most disciplined White House operation I’ve seen in a long time, and I think it’s starting to break down a bit. This is what happens when the defensive shield falls.

Since taking office, Biden has held only one formal solo press conference at the White House, but he has held two in Europe and held three more during visits by foreign leaders.

White House officials frequently point to Biden’s willingness to answer questions after scripted events – sometimes against their will – as proof of his transparency and communication with the public.

“Often we say, ‘Don’t answer questions,’” ​​Psaki said. David AxelrodDavid Axelrod’s memo: “Hillbilly Elegy” author ties up with Trump after past criticism, Psaki “will likely stay longer” than a year as a White House House Democrats press secretary at Schumer: vote again on January 6 survey PLUS, who served as a strategist for former President Obama, on his podcast in May. “He’s going to do whatever he wants, because he’s the President of the United States.