President seeks staff approval before being ushered away from press at Michigan event

During a recent campaign stop in Michigan, President Biden‘s request to his staff for permission to take questions from the audience led to a notable moment, as aides quickly moved the press out of earshot. This incident occurred on Thursday, at the home of a Saginaw city council member, where Biden met with supporters and campaign volunteers.

Biden, 81, was heard asking a female staffer if he could take a couple of questions. Although the staffer agreed, this prompted other aides to swiftly herd the reporters away, preventing any questions from being asked. This sequence of events unfolded rapidly, with aides shouting for the press to return to their vehicles.

This isn’t the first instance this week of Biden expressing a desire to engage with questions. At an event in New Hampshire, he inquired if taking questions was permissible, a moment that ended with the press being thanked and the camera feed cut out before any interaction could happen.

The President’s interactions with his staff and the press have sparked discussions, especially on social media, where comparisons to former President Trump’s more spontaneous engagements with the media and the public were made. Critics argue that the campaign’s approach reflects poorly on the President’s accessibility and transparency.

This ongoing narrative about Biden’s public interactions and the role of his staff in mediating these exchanges continues to fuel debates over his communication strategy, especially as instances where he mentions potential repercussions for answering “unauthorized” questions become more frequent.