He hasn’t had a good relationship with the press while he has been there.
In his first contentious vacation remark, he declared that there was no justification for anyone to own “semi-automatic rifles,” arguing for the prohibition of all modern firearms. That didn’t go down well.
Then he contradicted White House Press Sec. Karine Jean Pierre’s statement on his role in the train strike. He denied being “directly” involved in the negotiations, which she claimed he was.
When he was out shopping on the street, the journalists followed him. He blew them off at one point.
As he held hands with his daughter Ashley, he was asked if he was planning on meeting with the incoming Congressional leadership. He seemed to believe that was a weird question and brushed it aside as well.
But there was one moment on Friday that was unmistakably Biden. He was quizzed about the World Cup draw between England and the United States. Remember that he talked with the team a few days ago on Monday and informed them that everyone is “rooting for you.” So he should have realized they were playing games. But he had no clue what the reporters were asking him as he gave them this blank stare. Despite what he had claimed, he wasn’t paying attention to the game.
An adviser must swiftly brief Biden on the fact that the US squad is tied with England. Given England’s strength, that was a fantastic outcome for them. Biden then attempted to hide his tracks by asking if “the game was finished,” as if we hadn’t noticed him being briefed right in front of our eyes.
But this is what they do all the time with his incompetence; it is just not always as clear as it was here.
