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2028

Axios 2028

President Biden's White House went around its normal processes for his first post-debate interview with a Black radio station earlier this week.

Why it matters: The White House helped draft the questions that the host asked the president. Then the Biden campaign sent them to the radio station, given it was technically a campaign interview, a person familiar with the matter tells Axios.

WURD is the only African-American owned and operated talk radio station in Pennsylvania, but the White House's director of Black media was not part of the process.

It is the latest instance of the White House continuing to shield the president from unscripted moments, even after his debate performance raised further questions about his mental fitness.

Driving the news: Radio host Andrea Lawful-Sanders told CNN Saturday morning that her "questions were sent to me for approval; I approved of them."

Lawful-Sanders, who hosts "The Source" on WURD in Philadelphia, added: "I got several questions — eight of them. And the four that were chosen were the ones that I approved."

Earl Ingram, who interviewed Biden the day after for his show on a Black radio station in Milwaukee, also told ABC News Saturday: "Yes, I was given some questions for Biden."

What they're saying: Biden spokesperson Lauren Hitt told Axios that the "White House did not manage the process or the questions."

"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."

Between the lines: Presented with this reporting, some Democrats think the White House was cynically and patronizingly using Black media at a moment of crisis.

A Black Democratic strategist in the racial justice space told Axios: "The only reason President Biden is at the top of this ticket is his genuine, long-standing relationship with Black voters, built over decades. For his team to throw that relationship into jeopardy by using Black journalists as human shields for their communications crisis should be a fireable offense."

Zoom out: Michael LaRosa, the former press secretary for First Lady Jill Biden, told Axios that pre-submitting questions to interviewees has long been a tactic for Biden's team.

When he joined the team in the fall of 2019, he said that some members tried to do the same for Jill Biden's interviews. 

"I was really uncomfortable and had to explain in a more colorful way," LaRosa said. "I said specifically. 'Look, it's unethical for you to do that. They can be called out for screening the questions for [Joe Biden]  but we're not going to embarrass his wife that way. Ever. Do you get it?'"

Zoom in: The questions Lawful-Sanders asked were gentle and similar to those Ingram asked Biden the next day.

On "The Earl Ingram Show" on WMCS in Milwaukee, he asked Biden: "Can you speak to some accomplishments that we may or not be familiar with about your record, especially here in Wisconsin?

Lawful-Sanders asked the day before: "For people that may say 'what has the Biden-Harris administration done for me as a Black person' what progress has been made here in Pennsylvania?"

Ingram asked: "A lot of people have been told or have the mindset that their vote doesn't matter. What can you say to them?

Lawful-Sanders asked: "What do you say to the people who plan on sitting this election out?"

Hitt, the Biden spokesperson, added: "We do not condition interviews on acceptance of certain questions, and hosts/ reporters are always free to ask the questions they think will best inform their listeners."

Go deeper: Biden refuses to take cognitive test, denies he's losing to Trump

Biden refuses to take cognitive test, denies he's losing to Trum

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Biden's team drafted the questions for his first post-debate interviews

It is the latest instance of the White House continuing to shield the president from unscripted moments.

President Biden reads from a teleprompter during a Medal of Honor ceremony in the East Room of the White House on July 3, 2024, in Washington, D.C.  Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

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President Biden's first TV interview since his disastrous debate performance last Thursday drew 8.5 million viewers, according to Nielsen ratings. 

Why it matters: The Biden campaign hoped the interview with ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos would quell concerns about the president's age, but it was only seen by a small fraction of the 51.3 million that watched the debate. 

Yes, but: The ratings were still strong compared to typical Friday evening primetime shows in the same top slot. 

Between the lines: Biden tried to address concerns from fellow Democrats that his age could cost his party the presidency, but his performance did little to tamp down mounting concerns from Democratic members of Congress, per Axios' Andrew Solender. 

The pre-recorded interview, which lasted a little under a half hour, aired Friday on ABC at 8pm ET. It will air in full again on Sunday. 

The big picture: Biden has given fewer press conferences and media interviews than most modern presidents. 

In the wake of the debate, his team has pushed to put more unscripted interviews and press appearances on his calendar. 

"He's toast": Biden's ABC interview flops with Hill Democrats

Biden refuses to take cognitive test, denies he's losing to Trump

8.5 million watched Biden's ABC News interview

It was only seen by a small fraction of the 51.3 million that watched the debate.

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President Biden speaks with "This Week" anchor George Stephanopoulos on July 5, 2024 in Madison, Wisconsin. Photo: ABC via Getty Images

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The judge presiding over former President Trump's classified documents case in Florida pushed back some of the deadlines in the case on Saturday to allow for further briefing.

Why it matters: Judge Aileen Cannon's order follows the 6-3 Supreme Court opinion allowing presidential immunity for official acts conducted as president. 

It's an opinion that Trump has used to throw a wrench in prosecutors' plans although the SCOTUS decision on July 1 failed to clarify whether his alleged conduct on Jan. 6 was protected.

Catch up quick: Trump's legal team has already successfully used the SCOTUS decision to push back sentencing in New York, where he was convicted of 34 felony counts related to hush money paid to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.

Trump's attorneys have also used presidential immunity as a defense in the classified documents case special counsel Jack Smith brought against the former president.

Trump's legal team has requested more time to submit supplemental briefing on the immunity claim.

The latest: Cannon's recent order grants a temporary stay on expert disclosures due July 8 and the defense's reciprocal discovery due July 10. 

The judge also set a July 18 deadline for special counsel to respond to Trump's motion to stay and request for supplemental briefing and set a July 21 deadline for both sides to respond.

Trump leans on presidential immunity ruling in new bid to toss Jack Smith

Judge Cannon refused to step down from Trump's classified docs case: NYT

Trump wins delay in classified documents case

His legal team has requested more time to submit supplemental briefing on the immunity claim.

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Former President Trump at a campaign event at Historic Greenbrier Farms in Chesapeake, Va., on June 28, 2024. Photo: Parker Michels-Boyce/Bloomberg via Getty Images

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Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) on Saturday became the latest House Democrat calling on President Biden to exit the presidential race. 

Why it matters: Craig is the first swing-district House Democrat to try to nudge Biden out amid concerns that his age will cause problems for Democrats running further down the ballot.

What she's saying: "[G]iven what I saw and heard from the President during last week's debate in Atlanta, coupled with the lack of a forceful response from the President himself following that debate, I do not believe that the President can effectively campaign and win against Donald Trump," Craig said in a statement issued Saturday morning. 

Craig is the fifth House Democrat to publicly call on Biden to withdraw, joining safe-seat Reps. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), and Mike Quigley (D-Ill.).

Other Democrats have told Axios that they believe Biden should step aside, and more lawmakers are expected to publicly call for his withdrawal in the coming days.

Biden has repeatedly resisted calls to step aside.

 His campaign communications director Michael Tyler said on MSNBC that the president understands "there are some concerns coming off the debate" but the campaign raised $38 million after that night and is "focused now on moving forward with the campaign and defeating Donald Trump."

The other side: National Republican Congressional Committee spokesperson Mike Marinella criticized Craig's statement as a "transparent election-year ploy to try to cling to her seat."

State of play: Craig is running for re-election in Minnesota's sole battleground congressional district. 

She won the south metro seat by five percentage points in 2022 but only by two percentage points in 2020, when Trump and Biden were on the ballot. 

Flashback: Craig sounded the alarm about Biden's age back in 2022, pledging to "do everything in my power as a member of Congress to make sure that we have a new generation of leadership." 

But she later supported his bid, saying it would be a waste of time and money to back someone else. 

She raised concerns about his debate performance earlier this week but stopped short of saying he should step aside.

Zoom in: She's also the most prominent Minnesota Democrat to make the demand. 

Gov. Tim Walz, a Biden surrogate, recommitted his support after a meeting at the White House this week, saying, "Governors have his back."

What we're watching: Craig didn't endorse a successor, but said the situation creates an "opportunity to put forward an open, fair, and transparent Democratic process to select a new nominee to inspire and unite our great nation."

Go deeper: These congressional Democrats are demanding Biden withdraw

Editor's note: This story has been updated with a statement from Biden's campaign.

raised concerns about his debate performance 

These congressional Democrats are demanding Biden withdraw

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Rep. Angie Craig calls on President Biden to drop out

Craig joins four other Democrats and is the first swing-seat lawmaker to make the call.

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Saturday's top stories

Biden's team drafted the questions for his first post-debate interviews

8.5 million watched Biden's ABC News interview

Trump wins delay in classified documents case

Rep. Angie Craig calls on President Biden to drop out

Hollywood moguls want to replace Biden for America’s leading role

Scoop: Democrats whip against GOP's latest election crackdown

"He's toast": Biden's ABC interview flops with Hill Democrats

Behind the Curtain: Biden's credibility crisis

Watch: Biden denies that top Democrats want him to quit race

Biden refuses to take cognitive test, denies he's losing to Trump

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