Americans have been wondering for months if President Joe Biden is really “all there” or “really in charge” of things. Republican Senator John Cornyn recently echoed the thoughts of tens of millions of people by openly questioning the president’s leadership abilities on Twitter.
The Senator from Texas pointed out that the President isn’t doing cable interviews, rarely sits down for unscripted chats with reporters, doesn’t communicate much on social media, and, generally speaking, stays out of the limelight as much as possible. It’s quite an about-face from what Americans were becoming used to for four years before Biden was sworn in.
Naturally, Biden’s PR department pushed back against this idea. White House Deputy Communications Director Kate Berner tried to excuse the president by saying he was busy and has a lot on his plate. She also noted that the Biden Administration has a large team that fans out to amplify his message. Furthermore, the administration encourages cabinet members to reach out and speak to the media about their areas of expertise. However, a close look at her assertions leaves one with more questions than answers.
First of all, one has to wonder what President Biden is so busy doing. He has delegated the management of the border crisis to Vice President Kamala Harris. What’s more, the VP also seems to have taken the lead meeting with foreign leaders. The President seems to spend a lot of time at his Delaware home, even though the CDC that he claims to listen to advises against traveling. His public schedule indicates that he receives briefings in the morning, and has some meetings in the afternoon.
In other words, Biden’s schedule doesn’t seem different from his predecessors. This is more or less a standard daily rundown for a president. So, what gives?
President Biden occasionally appears in front of the TV cameras to deliver scripted remarks, but even these are often interspersed with gaffes. He has forgotten the name of his own Secretary of Defense, referred to the ATF (Agency of Tobacco and Firearms) as the AFT, and just last month he was cut off by aides when he told the press he was happy to take unscripted questions if that was what he was “supposed to do.”
Considering all of this, Cornyn is not at all out of line for openly questioning who is really running things at the White House. After all, the president doesn’t seem to spend much time there to begin with. This should deeply concern all Americans. Even for those of us who didn’t vote for him, Biden should be the one calling the shots — not his handlers.
