Biden Becomes Litmus Test for 2028 Contenders

[Self Esteem]

42. It wasn't just that he was boring.

It was that he rarely interacted with the media - even favorable media like MSNBC. The narrative was built that he was being handled and the media didn't like that. They wanted access and the Biden team generally refused it.

Biden was strong at governing but awful at playing the media. That's where both Obama and Trump run circles around Biden. Obama was good at charming the media, and providing interviews, even with hostile outlets (think about the time he went on O'Reilly) and Trump is good at giving near-universal access. Trump berates the media but he at least talks to them. He holds press conferences. He does interviews.

Biden rarely did any of that. Biden held the fewest press conferences and interviews of any recent president.

I get it - Biden's team had a valid distrust for the media but part of politics in 2024 is playing the media's game and if you're not willing to do it, don't be surprised if they turn on you.

Biden had plenty of opportunities to engage with the media throughout his presidency and he rarely did it the final two years in office.

In his first year, he held town halls.

He stopped doing that in 2023.

It really isn't a surprise the media turned on him. They want access. Biden refused it.

So, their question now shifts to why they refused access. Especially since Biden was always known for his ability to engage the media. He used to love doing interviews and rubbing elbows with the press.

But by 2024, he wasn't even doing interviews with MSNBC anymore (his last interview with MSNBC prior to his final with Lawrence O'Donnell at the end of his presidency was with Nicolle Wallace in June of 2023).

The media sucks but as president, you kinda have to engage with them and it always felt like Biden was never allowed to.