It’s no secret that Biden and Netanyahu have a strained relationship, not least because the former has one or two marbles rolling around upstairs. Biden has been wrong on major foreign policy initiatives for the past four decades. Israel didn’t get along with Obama; why would they think any differently of his vice president? The president has warned the Israelis to avoid moving in on Rafah, the last bastion of Hamas in Gaza. It also doesn’t help that top Democrats, like Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), blasted Israeli political leadership and called for new elections. Of course, these topics will be discussed in the White House press room.
The war has led to young voters and Arab Americans souring on Biden, two groups he cannot afford to have lackluster turnout in this year. When Fox News’ Peter Doocy asked National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan about it on Monday, based on a lengthy NBC News article about the president’s increased anxiety over his 2024 prospects, Sullivan’s answer turned some heads. He compared Doocy’s question to beating one’s wife. The response left the Fox News reporter speechless (via Newsbusters):
With the lone possible exception of Friday, Monday marked perhaps the week’s lone White House press briefing and Biden National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan certainly made waves for his decidedly anti-Israel pivot to help his boss President Biden stave off further hemorrhaging of pro-Hamas Arab voters (such as arguing Jews meddle in U.S. elections) and telling Peter Doocy his question was akin to the phrase “when did you stop beating your wife”.
[…]
“So, when he does that, is he shouting and swearing about Netanyahu or about Hamas or about his poll numbers,” Doocy asked.
The snide foreign policy hack immediately went personal: “This is the ‘when did you stop beating your spouse’ question because I don’t think he ever did that.”
Reacting as most would to this sudden turn, Doocy reacted with an incredulous look on his face and an, “excuse me?”
Of course, no one followed up on Sullivan’s arrogant answer that runs counter to the years of reporting about Biden having a less-than-clean mouth:
[W]ell, you — you used that as the premise of your question, which is when he does that, he — I’ve never seen him do that. Shout or swear in response to that. So, from my perspective, that particular report is not correct.
Doocy’s other question prior to this was relatively benign: “Why did President Biden wait so long — why did he let 32 days pass between phone calls with Prime Minister Netanyahu?”
Sullivan brushed this aside, arguing “our teams are in contact every single day at every level” with Biden being briefed “daily — twice daily, sometimes nine times daily update on what is going on
Again, no one believes that, Jake. Biden’s Irish temper has been noted in news reports for years. During his presidency, aides have a buddy support system where someone accompanies or comforts staffers who are due to be ripped a new one by the cantankerous, cold, and half-brain-dead president. Biden reportedly called Bibi an “asshole” in private. It’s unsurprising that he’s screaming at his staffers and political advisers. He did so regarding how the southern border has become chaotic.
Beating your wife was the pivot—these guys have nothing. And I’ll take Sullivan’s answer as confirmation.
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