Reporters faced a bizarre scenario on Tuesday as White House aides shouted down their attempts to ask President Biden questions during an Oval Office meeting.
Biden met with U. K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the White House where the two discussed an array of issues. Johnson took several questions but when Biden as asked questions, White House aides promptly escorted reporters out of the Oval Office.
Video of the scene
pic.twitter.com/jv8B37NSka https://t.co/WTSicTLybg
— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) September 21, 2021
CBS reporter Ed O’Keefe described how the situation unfolded.
“IN THE OVAL OFFICE… @POTUS Biden and British PM @BorisJohnson meet to discuss pandemic, trade and other issues. Johnson took 3 questions. White House aides shouted down U. S. attempts to ask questions. I asked Biden about southern border and we couldn’t decipher what he said,” he wrote.
He also described attempting to ask Biden a question on the southern border but being unable to hear the answer due to aides’ shouting.
“As we were leaving, I asked the president for his reaction to the situation on the southern border. Due to shouting by White House aides, the noise of everyone leaving, and the president wearing his mask, we could not make out his answer,” O’Keefe tweeted.
He later updated that they could later make out the words “violence is not justified” but little else in Biden’s answer.
Several other reporters aired their grievances and called out the White House over their behavior.
Washington Post reporter Seung Min Kim described the situation as “Not good, folks.”
“A chaotic scen… (Read more)
IN THE OVAL OFFICE… @POTUS Biden and British PM @BorisJohnson meet to discuss pandemic, trade and other issues. Johnson took 3 questions. White House aides shouted down U.S. attempts to ask questions. I asked Biden about southern border and we couldn’t decipher what he said. pic.twitter.com/A86kgdfsuc
— Ed O’Keefe (@edokeefe) September 21, 2021
As we were leaving, I asked the president for his reaction to the situation on the southern border. Due to shouting by White House aides, the noise of everyone leaving, and the president wearing his mask, we could not make out his answer.
— Ed O’Keefe (@edokeefe) September 21, 2021
UPDATE: We have played back the tape and part of the president’s answer is decipherable. I asked for his response to the situation on the southern border and he says in part, “Violence is not justified.”
He is wearing a mask and there is shouting so nothing else is decipherable
— Ed O’Keefe (@edokeefe) September 21, 2021
Not good, folks https://t.co/9mN15mZL9y
— Seung Min Kim (@seungminkim) September 21, 2021
