President Biden’s ability to clearly communicate has been criticized by Dana Perino. Here are the key points:
- Biden has not given interviews to major newspapers like the New York Times
- His public speaking often contains confusing statements and incomplete sentences
- Perino mocked one of Biden’s short speeches as “not exactly the Gettysburg Address”
Do Biden’s communication struggles prevent him from properly addressing the nation? Let’s explore further.
Biden Avoids Interviews with Major Media Outlets
According to reports, Biden has refused to give interviews to elite newspapers like the New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal during his presidency. This is very unusual behavior for a modern U.S. president.
Perino pointed out that this contradicts Biden’s promise of having a transparent, communicative administration that engages with its constituents. She questioned why the “most transparent administration ever” is so unwilling to face questions from reporters.
Concerns Over Biden’s Public Speaking Abilities
Biden frequently struggles with coherent public speaking. He often trails off, inserts gibberish filler words, or forgets what he was saying mid-sentence. This has led to concerns over his communication competency.
Perino mocked a very short speech Biden gave where he simply said “I have one word…don’t,” comparing it unfavorably to the famous Gettysburg Address. She joked that Biden’s speechwriters must have an easy job since he can’t articulate complex thoughts.
The White House press team often claims Biden’s travel schedule is too demanding for regular press conferences. However, Perino argued that being president comes with prestigious accommodations that should make travel very manageable.
Biden’s Communication Lapses Leave Many Issues Unaddressed
There are many major issues Biden has failed to consistently and clearly address, according to Perino:
- The disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan
- Intelligence failures in tracking threats to allies like Israel
- His administration’s policies on energy, crime, and immigration
Instead of substantive explanations, Biden often gets confused and trails off into irrelevant ramblings about things like “cannibals on a desert island.”
Perino accused the White House press corps of being too deferential to Biden by not forcefully pressing him to properly address the nation on crucial matters.
Looking Ahead to 2024 Election Debates
With the 2024 presidential election approaching, questions remain over whether Biden will debate his likely opponent Donald Trump. Perino predicted the Democrats will use Trump’s controversial behavior as an excuse for Biden to avoid debating.
However, she argued that Biden not debating would be a bad optics failure for proving his competency and fitness for office. Polls already show many Americans have doubts about Biden’s mental capacities.
Conclusion
In Perino’s view, President Biden’s struggle to communicate clearly and substantively is a serious detriment to his administration’s transparency and accountability. His lapses leave many key issues insufficiently addressed.
While accommodations are made for Biden’s age, many feel he should still be able to lucidly inform and reassure the nation through speeches, interviews, and debates. But will his perceived communication deficits continue to be a central issue as the 2024 race heats up?
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