Former (Republican) Press Sec Offers Advice To Biden: ‘Cancel The Press Conference’

One former White House Press Secretary has a few words of advice for President Joe Biden: “cancel the press conference.”

Fox News anchor Dana Perino, who served as press secretary to former President George W. Bush, suggested that Biden — whose recent struggles and apparent cognitive decline have been front and center since his disastrous first debate with former President Donald Trump  — would not be best served by another public attempt at clean-up.

Referencing a scheduled news conference Biden has planned for Thursday — three weeks to the day since the debate — Perino said that Biden was likely to be flooded with questions that he thus far has not seemed prepared to answer.

“I’d cancel tomorrow’s press conference,” Perino said in a post to X. “Save the embarrassment of the questions he will get. Provide him dignified space to absorb what’s happening.”

I’d cancel tomorrow’s press conference. Save the embarrassment of the questions he will get. Provide him dignified space to absorb what’s happening.

— Dana Perino (@DanaPerino) July 10, 2024

“If they cancel the presser, he’s done. And it will signal to everyone that they know it,” Guy Benson responded to Perino’s post.

If they cancel the presser, he’s done. And it will signal to everyone that they know it. https://t.co/zWxUISrjw8

— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) July 10, 2024

She replied to Benson, saying that was pretty much what she had been trying to get at: “That’s the point though. Well, my point!”

Doug Powers argued that the news conference was likely to be scripted, suggesting that Biden was likely to be directed with regard to which reporters he could call on and what they would ask.

“If the reporters are hand-picked and required to submit questions in advance the media will again be complicit in this embarrassment. If WH press refuses to do so then Biden’s staff will find an excuse to cancel,” he said.

If the reporters are hand-picked and required to submit questions in advance the media will again be complicit in this embarrassment. If WH press refuses to do so then Biden’s staff will find an excuse to cancel. https://t.co/i8fdMC29J2

— Doug Powers (@ThePowersThatBe) July 10, 2024

Matt Whitlock raised another potential sticking point, however, asking how anyone could justify keeping President Biden in office until January if they were ready to pull him out of a press conference because they didn’t believe he could handle it.

“If there’s any inkling he’s going to step aside they should cancel – too embarrassing and jarring for our country. But if he does that I’m not sure how they explain keeping him in office through January,” he explained.

If there’s any inkling he’s going to step aside they should cancel – too embarrassing and jarring for our country.

But if he does that I’m not sure how they explain keeping him in office through January. https://t.co/sI7R33p8nE

— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) July 11, 2024