'Bewildering' to see Biden read answers from script at press conference: Fleischer
Biden appeared to read from cards on foreign policy questions
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}After President Biden's first press conference since his inauguration, former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer told "The Faulkner Focus" on Friday that the commander in chief reading off of a script to answer reporter's questions is "not healthy." Fleischer also criticized a reporter asking Biden about his potential challenger in the 2024 election.
PHOTOS SHOW BIDEN 'CHEAT SHEETS' DURING FIRST FORMAL PRESS CONFERENCE
ARI FLEISCHER: A news conference really is that opportunity for all of us, particularly with the oldest president in history, to see how he's doing. What's the alternative? The alternative is the White House staff says to reporters, 'e-mail us your questions and we'll email you back a printed response.' That is, in essence, what they did yesterday on the three foreign policy questions reporters asked. But Joe Biden had a prepared paragraph's answer and he read it off of what was given to him by his staff.
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That is no way to measure a president. This is not healthy. And I hope today in his news conference, reporters asked, did he read off of it verbatim? Why did he do that? He's perfectly eloquent and conversant and on many of the domestic issues. I disagree with his take, but he's able to stand on his own feet and do it. So why not on those?
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}First of all, how silly the question was, I mean, you have a chance to ask actual meaningful questions to the president at a news conference, his first news conference and you ask about an unknown, uncontrollable event for three and a half years down the road? I just found it predictable, silly, the Washington usual stuff.
In terms of his answer, what about Joe Biden's whole soul being for unity? And then he just goes, 'I don't even know?' Do you? If the Republican Party will be around. He is so derisive toward his critics. That's the problem I have with Joe Biden. And he says the only line people remember from his inaugural was my whole soul is for unity.
And he rendered that completely hollow yesterday. He never meant it when he first said it. He is a very partisan man, a very partisan president. And Republicans need to be warned and go in with eyes wide open. He is not the Joe Biden that people thought he would be.
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