Trump slams Biden for choosing reporters from a list during press conference, answering softball questions

Former President Donald Trump released a statement on Wednesday that said the establishment media were throwing softball questions to Joe Biden.

"How come Biden picks a reporter off a list, in all cases softball questions, and then reads the answer? I would never have been allowed to get away with that, nor would I have to!" remarked former President Trump in a published statement.

It was a "rare" press conference where Biden told a gathering of reporters that he's been doing a sufficient job given the circumstances. The New York Post tallied up the number of pressers Biden has given thus far in his administration, with the most recent one was just his tenth overall, moreover being "only his second solo one."

Despite being handed "softball questions," President Biden was seen at times snapping at reporters that asked questions.

During the lengthy press conference, President Biden laid blame at the feet of the former administration. One such example of that was with the pullout from Afghanistan. An episode in August 2021 that saw the deaths of thirteen US service members.

While there were some points earlier on that indicated Biden was picking certain reporters from a list, at some point during the press conference he decided to deviate from said list. This led the President answering questions from people like Peter Doocy of Fox News and James Rosen of Newsmax.

Peter Doocy directly asked President Biden as to why he was "trying so hard" to "pull the country to the left?"

Biden denied that he was doing that at all, whatsoever. He justified that response by citing the efforts to put money together for both his infrastructure bill and COVID relief. Biden brought up Bernie Sanders as a point of comparison, and told Doocy that he was not like him.

"I’m not a socialist. I’m a mainstream Democrat and I have been," the President concluded. He brought up how Senators Manchin and Sinema were his only prominent detractors within the party.

For Rosen and Newsmax's part, the question was prefaced with a disclaimer that the outlet reporter had the "utmost respect" for Biden’s office and position. But then he mentioned a Politico report card in asking the President to respond to the claim that "49 percent" of registered voters don’t think he’s fit for office.

(Note: The numbers in question cited by Rosen appear to be from November 2021 and not mentioned in Politico's write-up Wednesday morning.)

"I’ll let you make the judgment whether they’re correct," Biden responded before Rosen finished.

"Why do you suppose such large segments of the American electorate have come to harbor such profound concerns about your cognitive fitness?" asked James Rosen.

"I have no idea," responded President Biden before moving onto the next question.

The framing from POLITICO on Tuesday spotlighted how some of the White House’s "favorite columnists" are revolting against Joe. The RealClearPolitics numbers for Biden’s approval vs. disapproval were 40.9 percent and 53.3 percent, respectively.