President Joe Biden is turning down a prime opportunity to sell his record and agenda. Biden won’t be sitting down for an interview during the Super Bowl. It’s not the first time, and there are no complaints here, but didn’t we hear Vice President Kamala Harris incredulously declare that the administration’s approval numbers are in the toilet because—and please forgive me—it’s due to them not taking enough credit? Those wondrous achievements include high inflation, a world on the brink of all-out war, and an economy stuck in the mud. And we have this fiasco at the southern border, which Biden doesn’t want to bother with for a litany of reasons, not least being that he’s salty over Congress hitting the brakes on the Ukraine aid gravy train.
Last year is one thing, but it’s an election year. Passing up these chances, where millions are tuning into the biggest NFL game of the season, is usually considered political campaign malpractice. Guy had a simple explanation for why Biden isn’t doing an interview: his handlers don’t trust him to be cogent enough to make it through it. There’s also fear that he could short-circuit like Mitch McConnell, exposing the president yet again to questions about his health and fitness for office (via Variety):
his team doesn’t trust him https://t.co/t1ch9Inip3
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) February 4, 2024
An interview with the U.S. President in the hours before the Super Bowl has become a tradition in recent decades. Now that custom seems to be in danger of dying out.
President Joe Biden will not take part in an exchange during the pre-game festivities leading up to CBS’ broadcast of Super Bowl LVIII on February 11, CBS News confirmed. The Paramount Global news operation had been in discussions with the White House in recent weeks. Details about which correspondent might have been eyed for the assignment could not be learned, but the CBS News offer was believed to have been for a 15-minute interview, three or four minutes of which would have aired during the network’s pre-game coverage.
This will mark the second year in a row that President Biden has turned down the opportunity, which typically draws an audience of tens of millions, even in the hours before kickoff. President Biden also declined to speak to a news correspondent from Fox News Channel last year. Announcements about a Super Bowl interview with the president are usually finalized five or more days ahead of the event.
“We hope viewers enjoy watching what they tuned in for — the game,” said Ben LaBolt, a White House spokesman.
But the decision may be seen as an intriguing one, particularly as candidates ramp up for the 2024 presidential election. Viewers might have been interested in hearing President Biden talk about recent U.S. strikes on Iranian forces in Syria and Iraq in response to the killing of three American soldiers in Jordan; his views on the Republican candidates, including former President Donald Trump; or even whether he hoped for a win by the Kansas City Chiefs or the San Francisco 49ers.
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The publication added that turning down Fox News is one thing, but Biden seemingly had a good relationship with CBS News. Even if it sounds good on paper, the ‘COVID protocol’ of keeping Biden away doesn’t work anymore. The pandemic is over. Voters can and should expect the president of the United States to run his re-election effort with fervor and be present at multiple public events. Joe has no excuse, and this game of hiding from the media only highlights concerns about his age and mental health, which we all know isn’t good.
Will Biden be healthy enough to make it through a debate? Will Democrats try to replace him on the convention floor later this year if things look grim? How long can this White House defend Joe hiding in the basement when everything no longer abides by COVID protocols?
Joe is too old, and this Weekend and Bernie’s game will blow up in the Democrats’ faces, as with any major initiative over the past four years.
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