Former White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany weighed in recently on Fox Business’ “Varyney and Co.” about why she believes President Biden has not held a solo press conference yet.
She likened it to his “basement strategy” during the campaign.
“He went something like 50 days and he only took questions twice. And when he did, they were hand-picked questions,” McEnany said.
She doesn’t believe it’s him that’s keeping him out of the public eye, but his staff.
“I think his staff does not have faith that he can stand at the podium and have a press conference the way President Trump did many times,” she said.
As for what he wants to do, McEnany said it appears Biden likes talking to the media.
“I don't think this is President Biden saying, ‘I don't want to do this,’” she said. “I think it's those around him recognizing when he does speak, it doesn't always turn out so well, like calling Republicans ‘Neanderthals,’ as he did recently in the Oval Office.”
Indeed, after a virtual event Wednesday, Biden said he was open to answering questions from Democratic lawmakers, but then the feed was cut.
"I'd be happy to take questions if that's what I'm supposed to do, Nance," Biden told the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "Whatever you want me to do."
The White House just cut off Biden's live feed right before he was about to answer questions.
— The First (@TheFirstonTV) March 4, 2021
Probably just a technical difficulty... https://t.co/MV9fGPYLej
On Friday, when White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was asked why he hasn't held a solo press conference despite being in office for 45 days, she blamed "historic crises" and his busy schedule.
"We look forward to holding a full press conference in the coming weeks before the end of the month, and we’re working on setting a final date for that and as soon as we do, we will let you all know,” Psaki said. “But this president came in during a historic crisis — two historic crises, a pandemic like the country had not seen in decades and decades and an economic downturn that left 10 million people out of work.”
For comparison, former President Trump's first press conference was on Feb. 16, 2017, while former President Obama's was slightly earlier, on Feb. 9, 2009.
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