Radio host resigns after asking Biden questions sent by his campaign
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President Biden at Mt. Airy Church of God in Christ in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Sunday. Photo: Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images
WURD radio station and host Andrea Lawful-Sanders have "mutually agreed" to immediately "part ways" after President Biden's aides helped draft questions she asked him in an interview, the company announced Sunday.
Why it matters: The Philadelphia talk radio station noted in a statement that the July 3 interview was Biden's first since his lackluster June 27 presidential debate — which the president and aides blamed on a cold and jet lag, but which has resulted in some Democrats calling for him to end his 2024 candidacy.
- It's the latest instance of Biden's aides shielding the 81-year-old from unscripted moments, per Axios' Alex Thompson, who notes that the White House's director of Black media was not part of the process with WURD — the only African American-owned and operated talk radio station in Pennsylvania.
Driving the news: The White House helped draft questions that Lawful-Sanders asked the president and then the Biden campaign sent them to the radio station, given it was technically a campaign interview, Thompson reports.
- The interview "was arranged and negotiated independently by WURD Radio host Andrea Lawful-Sanders without knowledge, consultation or collaboration with WURD management," per a Sunday statement from Sara Lomax, president and CEO of the radio station.
- "The interview featured pre-determined questions provided by the White House, which violates our practice of remaining an independent media outlet accountable to our listeners," Lomax said.
- Lawful-Sanders told CNN Saturday that "questions were sent to me for approval; I approved of them."
- The now-former host of WURD's "The Source" said in a brief video posted to Facebook Sunday that she had tendered her resignation a day earlier and it was accepted.
What they're saying: "WURD Radio is not a mouthpiece for the Biden or any other Administration," Lomax said.
- "Internally, we will commit to reviewing our policies, procedures, and practices to reinforce WURD's independence and trust with our listeners. But mainstream media should do its own introspection to explore how they have lost the trust of so many Americans, Black Americans chief among them," the statement added.
"Black media matters. As always, we will listen, dialogue and engage with our community, bringing credible information, experts and insights to address the needs, concerns and interests of our people. This is essential as Black Philadelphians gear up to be a pivotal player in one of the most consequential elections of our lifetime."— Excerpt from WURD's statement
Lawful-Sanders in her video thanked everyone "who played a part in this journey, including WURD Radio."
- She said: "Life is moving. Things are shifting and changing. And, in a day or so you'll hear more."
Zoom out: Earl Ingram, who interviewed Biden the day after for his show on a Black radio station in Milwaukee that broadcasts across Wisconsin, told ABC News Saturday that he was also "given some questions for Biden" and "didn't get a chance to ask him all the things I wanted to ask."
- Biden spokesperson Lauren Hitt told Axios on Saturday that the "White House did not manage the process or the questions."
- Hitt added: "This was a campaign interview and, as such, it was handled by the campaign and our Black Media Director. To overcommunicate, the White House Black media director was not involved because it was a campaign interview and not a White House one."
Go deeper... Behind the Curtain: Unbendable Biden vs. breaking-point Dems
