Despite having pledged his presidency to the return of “transparency to the white-house” reports indicate that Biden has participated in fewer pressers and interviews than the previous 5 U.S. presidents.
According to the Daily Caller The president has done 22 interviews with the media and held nine formal news conferences – six solo and three with visiting foreign leaders – an analysis by Martha Joynt Kumar, a professor at Town University and director of the White House Transition Project, found, the Associated Press reported.
Ronald Reagan held fewer press conferences during his first year in office as a result of the attempted assassination against him in 1981.
Startlingly enough it not only has Biden held fewer press events, but the press events are largely less satisfying under his administration.
Biden has admitted that he is often instructed to call on only certain reporters, rarely calling on journalists from outlets without a left-wing bias. He has been seen referencing lists when calling on reporters for questions. This certainly is not a stride towards transparency.
During President Trump’s first year, he sat down for 92 interviews, Obama participated in a whopping 156, Bush 49, Clinton 54, and Bush Sr. 46 opposed to a mere 22 from Joe Biden.
Biden has also only held a measly 9 press conferences compared to Trump’s 22, Obama’s 27, 19 from Bush, and Clinton’s 37. All 5 except George W. Bush doubling Biden’s number.
Biden has however killed the game when it comes to “informal Q&A’s holding 216 since January of 2021. He is only matched by Clinton who held 245. Bush and Trump are the next closest, Bush with 144, and Trump with 120.
“Fleeting exchanges are insufficient to building the historical record of the president’s views on a broad array of public concerns. We have had scant opportunities in this first year to learn the president’s views on a broad range of public concerns,” said Steven Portnoy who heads the White House Correspondents Association.
So much for transparency in the White House. Under President Biden, the executive branch of government will be shrouded in a cloudy veil of secrecy – or disorganization.
