“We do not discuss the President’s private conversations one way or the other,” Andrew Bates, a White House spokesman, said in a statement.
— from the Washington Post, December 18, 2023.
I’m not sure who “we” is. But apparently someone is not “we”, because reporter Tyler Pager, of the Washington Post, seems to have learned about what President Biden said in a private meeting on November 20, following the traditional pardoning of the turkeys at the White House.
He wrote:
After pardoning a pair of turkeys, an annual White House tradition, Biden delivered some stern words for the small group assembled: His poll numbers were unacceptably low and he wanted to know what his team and his campaign were doing about it. He complained that his economic message had done little to move the ball, even as the economy was growing and unemployment was falling, according to people familiar with his comments, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a private conversation.
For months, the president and first lady Jill Biden have told aides and friends they are frustrated by the president’s low approval rating and the polls that show him trailing former president Donald Trump, the front-runner for the Republican nomination — and in recent weeks, they have grown upset that they are not making more progress.
So, maybe “people” were talking out of school? Like, more than one person?
Private conversations ought to be private. We all learned that lesson at a young age… or else at our divorce proceedings.
The President’s poll numbers have certainly been unimpressive, across the board. But if he is complaining that his economic message has “done little to move the ball”… well, gee, isn’t that his economic message? What is his campaign team supposed to do about his message? Maybe he should do something himself about his message?
I don’t mean to be rude, and I understand that a president has a lot on his hands. (Or on her hands, in case Nikki Haley gets elected.) I suppose it’s natural to expect your campaign folks to fix your campaign problems while you’re busy running the country.
However, the main issue that seems to be on the minds of voters: Is this guy too old to be President? He turned 81 this year, which is a good four years older than Donald Trump. A lot can happen in four years, as we saw when Donald Trump was President. — two impeachments, a pandemic, part of a wall Mexico was going to pay for, the first President to be banned from Twitter, a stolen election, and a riot in the U.S. Capitol building. How can anyone hope to top that? Especially, an old man like Joe Biden?
When I told my editor I was concerned about President Biden and was planning to write about him, he sent me a photo to run with the column, for my approval. He doesn’t usually ask my approval, but he knew I have a sense of humor and would likely enjoy the photo.
It shows our President interviewing a turkey.
Obviously, this was not a private conversation, because several photographers and reporters attended the turkey pardoning event.
I’ve seen a few photos over the years, of various president’s pardoning various turkeys. I had never before seen a photo of a president interviewing one of the turkeys.
This is the same president who reportedly expects his campaign team to do something about his economic message.
Maybe they should also talk to him about his interview choices. Privately, of course.
Underrated writer Louis Cannon grew up in the vast American West, although his ex-wife, given the slightest opportunity, will deny that he ever grew up at all.