President Joe Biden’s team has quietly shuffled in and implemented a new safeguard in their ongoing efforts to shield him from the prying questions — and eyes — of the White House Press Corps.
According to a report published last week by Axios, the president’s staff plans to redouble their efforts to flank him as he makes the short walk across the White House lawn to and from Marine One. Their goal, apparently, is to steer him away from the reporters shouting questions and to hide his uneven gait from their cameras.
In response to concerns that walking alone across the grass has drawn attention to his age and sometimes halting and uneven steps, Biden has been surrounded by staffers or lawmakers nine of the ten times he’s made that trip since April 16, ccording to the Axios report.
A White House official told Axios that the idea was Biden’s and he told aides that he'd prefer a less formal approach to walking and suggested that they walk with him.
"He's fully visible except for a few seconds. Impeach," WH spokesman Andrew Bates said.
— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) April 26, 2024
Axios’ Alex Thompson noted that Biden has also opted for athletic shoes with sturdier soles that could help minimize the risk that he would slip or trip while walking.
Latest example of this new approach this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/KgZv25U6z8
— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) April 26, 2024
He followed that with a video showing Biden exiting Marine One via the front door — and within seconds, he was surrounded by several others who had exited to the rear.
In the days since, Biden’s team has taken things a step further — and in at least one case, they barred the White House Press Corps from approaching the president’s path until he was already boarding Marine One, too far away to hear even their shouted questions.
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**BREAKING**
Reporters are shocked as Biden boards Marine One in secret. The press were only allowed to film once he was on the helicopter.
‘Wow… He boarded before the press could even get out here.’pic.twitter.com/O6JCoAmU07
— The First (@TheFirstonTV) May 2, 2024
“Wow, the president just boarded Marine One without taking any questions, and he boarded before the press could even get out here,” one reporter could be heard complaining.
Despite early promises of transparency, President Biden’s team has effectively sequestered him, scheduling very few interviews with friendly outlets like Howard Stern’s radio show and Ryan Seacrest’s New Year’s Eve broadcast.
Biden’s lack of press availability has been such a stark contrast to former President Donald Trump’s near-constant banter with the press that it has raised the ire of New York Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger.
“Systematically avoiding interviews and questions from major news organizations doesn’t just undermine an important norm, it also establishes a dangerous precedent that future presidents can use to avoid scrutiny and accountability,” the NYT said in a recent statement.