OPINION:
President Biden, through his press secretary Jen Psaki, announced he is going to hold a new conference on, ba dum dum, dum, March 25.
The fact this makes national news as an event to promote is an underscore of the weakness of this president.
Why so much lead time, too? It’s only March 17.
“Biden to hold first formal news conference on March 25,” CNN announced.
“Biden to hold first press conference March 25,” Fox News put forth.
“Biden to hold first news conference on March 25: White House,” Yahoo News wrote, citing in the headline the actual source.
Stop the presses. Grab the donuts and coffee. Wake the kids and shout from the rooftops: Biden is not only coming out of his basement — he’s going to, gasp, take questions from members of the media.
March 25, 2021, the day that will live in infamy.
In the nearly two months Biden has been president, he’s not fielded questions from the press — save for a couple random ones tossed his way, as he walks away, that is. That’s the longest for a president to avoid holding a formal news conference. And it comes on the heels of his failure to deliver the normal State of the Union — prime-time, media-spotlighted, standing and delivering, solo.
It’s almost like Biden thinks he’s still living in his basement.
It’s almost like Biden’s handlers don’t trust that he can make it through a press conference without stumbling. Or drooling. And on that, the handlers should indeed worry. Biden is the guy, after all, caught on tape fumbling for his jacket pocket to put inside his pen, all the while mumbling to himself something about finding that doggone pocket.
He doesn’t exactly scream “presidential.” Or even “alive.” More like “Weekend at Bernie’s” — as the dead character Bernie.
“White House deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Sunday that Biden has answered about 40 questions from reporters at events,” CNN wrote.
They’re counting?
What a defense.
The Washington Post, unfortunately, didn’t buy it. Neither did the gaggle of White House reporters making up the White House Correspondents Association.
“It’s time for Biden to hold a news conference,” the WaPo’s editorial board wrote.
“[Press conferences] are critical to informing the American people and holding an administration accountable to the public,” WHCA President Zeke Miller said in a statement.
So here comes Biden — to just do it. To just spend the next eight or so days in heavy preparation for his first press conference — and just do it.
Grab some popcorn.
Find a seat.
Biden is not exactly Mr. Suave when it comes to stopping the rambles or stowing the gaffes. Or standing by himself and speaking without slurring.
It’s all fun and games — until the foreign heads of states tune it. And on that note, Biden better prepare for this press conference but good because America’s national security could very well rely on his sound, strong performance. And really, that’s no joke.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley. Listen to her podcast “Bold and Blunt” by clicking HERE. And never miss her column; subscribe to her newsletter by clicking HERE. Her latest book, “Socialists Don’t Sleep: Christians Must Rise Or America Will Fall,” is available by clicking HERE.
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