President Joe Biden seems to have developed an allergy to reporters. In fact, the allergy has become so pronounced that even members of the activist media have taken notice.
Even the Washington Post’s editorial board published a piece taking Biden to task. But the approach it took to persuade the president to interact with journalists was more than a little unseemly.
The board criticized Biden for his lack of engagement with the news media, arguing that is damaging to his presidency and the country. The article pointed out that the president has held zero solo news conferences in 2023 and has only conducted two “joint news conferences” with foreign leaders.
The editorial board complained that Biden “even joked at the recent White House correspondent’s dinner about how infrequently he takes questions from reporters.”
During the event, Biden said: “In a lot of ways, this dinner sums up my first two years in office. I’ll talk for 10 minutes, take zero questions and cheerfully walk away.”
This behavior was exemplified when Biden appeared alongside Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to address new airline compensation efforts. Once his remarks concluded, Biden promptly turned and walked away, disregarding questions from reporters. This incident followed a previous claim by the president that he would be holding a “major press conference,” which turned out to be a cushy MSNBC interview.
The authors argued that “taking questions from the media promotes public accountability and instills confidence that the president can do the job.” While Biden is known to be gaffe-prone, he should be willing to show the public that he can perform his duties, according to the article.
The Biden administration raised eyebrows recently when it was revealed that it had banned the New York Post from a Monday event. The news outlet has reported extensively on the ongoing saga involving the president’s son, Hunter Biden. It was also the first to report on the discovery of Hunter’s laptop and has been at the forefront of highlighting his questionable foreign business dealings.
Holding the government accountable when it is bending over backward to avoid being transparent is a noble endeavor. However, the last line of the editorial board’s article suggests that their complaints are not about transparency and holding the president accountable.
“Pick up the microphone, Mr. President. The media is not your enemy,” the authors assured Biden.
This is why so many Americans see that politicians and the media have a symbiotic relationship. This line implies that the media should work with the government to achieve a common agenda. Yet, most people view the media’s role as holding politicians accountable and reporting the truth, not functioning as the state’s ally.
While it is crucial for politicians to engage with the media and answer questions, it is equally important for the media to maintain its independence and report on the government objectively. The idea is that the press should not be seen as the enemy, but it should definitely not be seen as a friend.
Unfortunately, the press has often functioned as the propaganda arm for those seeking to protect the government and its agenda. In many ways, journalists have used their platforms to promote a decidedly statist agenda – even when Republicans are in charge. Most of us remember how the media helped the Bush administration peddle its lies to garner support for the war in Iraq and other military conflicts over the past century.
The Washington Post’s disturbing approach to Biden’s avoidance of the press should be a reminder to the rest of us. The media is not our friend. Yes, decent journalists who seek to uncover the truth regardless of politics still exist, and they should be supported. But, in general, the media is an integral part of the D.C. swamp and should be viewed as such.
