Last week, when President Biden finally stayed put at the White House for all five weekdays, his public communications were left in the hands of Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and John Kirby. This week’s press fatalities were steeped in a range of fanciful allegations involving Jews, harassment at the FDIC, Biden’s flagging popularity, smearing of Harrison Butker, and questions aimed at Justice Alito.
An inquiry from Al-Jazeera’s Kimberly Halkett accusing Israeli genocide based on a U.N report led the charge. She cited Israel’s intent to destroy, cause harm, and impose life-threatening conditions on Palestinians, and questioned how such actions weren’t being recognized as genocide.
Further questioning came from Fox Business’s Edward Lawrence, who brought up Warren Buffet’s recent remarks about the importance of tax hikes and reduced spending to manage the national debt. However, Jean-Pierre deflected the question by emphasizing the administration’s stance on ensuring the wealthiest pay their fair share and maintaining America’s investment while reducing the deficit.
Even as Philip Wegmann from Real Clear Politics questioned the White House about FDIC’s Martin Gruenberg’s derogatory behavior towards colleagues, Jean-Pierre dodged the question by pointing at the FDIC’s independence. As an independent agency, she argued, it’s up to them to handle the internal matters.
The exchange with U.S. Trade Ambassador Katherine Tai about the delayed imposition of tariffs on China was another evasive response. Tai cited a careful approach to dealings with China, pinpointing the long timeline as evidence of their diligence.
In matters of public opinion, Doocy bluntly questioned Biden’s current popularity among Americans, highlighting his loss in five out of six swing states. He wondered if Biden’s recent policies might be behind this decline. Despite his pointed questions, no concrete answer was provided by the Press Secretary, leaving many still questioning where Biden stands with Americans today.
When ABC and AP attempted to grill Jean-Pierre about Biden blocking the release of Hur tapes, she never confirmed whether these could prove politically harmful. And regarding the recent questioning of Justice Alito’s impartiality due to his flag display, Jean-Pierre remained non-committal in her responses.
Finally, when Doocy brought up Scottie Scheffler’s arrest after a traffic stop misunderstanding, Jean-Pierre directed the focus to a separate fatal accident, avoiding the direct question at hand.
From genocide implications to Biden’s popularity slumps, this week’s white house press briefings presented a scattered band of questions. The sloppy sidestepping communicated one clear thing: avoidance remains the weapon of choice for this administration, leaving the public in the dark. As for the truth, it seems we’ll be left to our own devices.
