Yesterday evening I was surprised, as I suspect many were, by a snap press conference conducted by President Biden in reaction to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s decision not to prosecute him for mishandling classified documents. Although it may have been intended as damage control on the FBI’s report’s remarks on the president’s comportment and, particularly, his memory, I am not sure he accomplished that objective. Indeed, he may have accomplished the opposite. Today I expect that the president’s surrogates will fan out to perform damage control on the damage control.
IMO the press conference was an error. What I believe should have happened is that the president should have made a brief statement praising the FBI for having arrived at the right conclusion (not prosecuting him), contrasting himself with Donald Trump, and that’s all. He should not have answered questions.
Here’s my question. Did the president help himself or hurt himself in the press conference?
What investigation?
That’s what he should’ve said.
As a preface, I don’t like Biden and will probably skip over that line on the ballot in preference to the state court elections.
Best would have been a brief written statement thanking the Independent Prosecutor for his diligent service to the country, a swipe at Trump followed by “end of”. That you avoid the loud man yelling at clouds look.
I agree with that, walt. Second best was a brief verbal statement along the same lines.
IMO the snap press conference was a bad choice.
Agree. A brief statement and then follow up with lots of articles noting the guy was a Trump supporter. As an aside, it seemed pretty unusual that an investigator would add what he did.
Steve
I think the whole thing is largely a Rorschach test.
One more point. IMO the smart thing for Biden to do at this point is resign after Super Tuesday and throw his support behind VP Harris (I don’t support VP Harris). Yes, it would throw things into chaos but no more so than six months of 25th Amendment agitation would and those are the alternatives.
Why not give the Democrat party what they really want?
Mrs. Obama?
“Unless the Supreme Court acts quickly to limit the appeals court’s decision I will not be surprised if Joe Biden faces thousands of criminal suits on leaving office”
That was a blog post yesterday. Now we know Joe Biden is in no jeopardy of being criminally charged because he’s too old to remember when he was Vice-President; never mind remember any of his potential crimes.
Who wants to guess whoever is sworn in on Jan 20, 2024, that they’ll be diagnosed with dementia on Jan 19, 2028?
Of course, I question the mental competency of anyone who wants to run for President these days.
As always, Dave, you are more conciliatory and circumspect in your observations on his presser than I would be. But I do believe my observation reflects better the reaction of most who cared enough to watch it: it was a complete shit show.
“As an aside, it seemed pretty unusual that an investigator would add what he did.”
What a selective memory. Trump and Mueller. Manifort etc…….
More importantly. Hur needed a reason to decline prosecution other that “I’m not going to follow the facts or prosecution.” (Yuck) So he chose prosecutorial discretion. That required Joe the sympathetic, demented fool and potential jury nullification. Exit, stage left……—>
“Facts or law. “
Please cite the part where Mueller made personal comments about Trump in his report.
Steve