President Joe Biden let his impatience shine through in a recent interaction with the press – and the topic was, of course, his son, Hunter Biden.
During a trip to a wind farm in New Mexico, Fox News reporter Peter Doocy pressed Biden over Devon Archer’s claims that Biden was on speakerphone while his son spoke with business associates. Biden didn’t like the question.
“There’s this testimony now where one of your son’s former business associates is claiming that you were on speakerphone a lot with them talking business. What?” Doocy said.
Biden interrupted. “I never talked business with anybody, and I knew you’d have a lousy questioned.”
Doocy answered: “What? Why is that a lousy question?”
“Because it’s not true,” the president replied.
Joe Biden vs. Fox News
Joe Biden kept his composure during the interaction.
WATCH: Biden snaps at Fox News’ Peter Doocy when asked about allegations that he talked business with his son Hunter’s associates. https://t.co/cQRereozAG pic.twitter.com/Dku7Nk7IeU
— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 10, 2023
He didn’t really “snap,” or raise his voice. He didn’t have much of an edge to his voice at all.
In all, it was a very mild interaction – but it offered an insight into Biden’s impatience for the right’s inquiry into the Biden family’s business dealings.
Obviously, the reasonableness of Biden’s response depends on whether he’s being honest. If Devon Archer is just blowing hot air and the Republicans are just running with it, then Biden has every right to be irritated and dismissive over what would amount to the dogged pursuit of a lie.
But if Archer’s testimony is indicative of some wrongdoing, then Biden’s response would be deflective and dishonest.
I can’t speak definitively to the truthfulness of Archer’s testimony, or the value of the Republican inquiry into Biden family business affairs.
I can say that Republicans over-hyped the Archer testimony and that what Archer had to contribute to the inquiry was anticlimactic.
I can’t fault Doocy, the reporter. He’s doing his due diligence; he’s following up with sworn testimony about the president’s conduct – something that deserves to be questioned.
Biden’s response in context
The “lousy question” quip was not Biden’s first dig at Doocy. In January 2022, Biden was caught on a hot mic calling Doocy a “stupid son of a *****.” The insult was levied after Doocy asked a question about inflation.
“Do you think inflation is a political liability going into the midterms,” Doocy shouted.
“No, it’s a great asset,” Biden muttered. “More inflation. What a stupid son of a *****.” (That’s actually a fantastic response in my book.)
Biden’s latest interaction with Doocy offered a subtle suggestion of what Axios reported recently: that behind closed doors Biden has a volatile temper.
“Behind closed doors, Biden has such a quick-trigger temper that some aides try to avoid meeting alone with him,” Axios reported. “Some take a colleague, almost as a shield against a solo blast.
“There’s no question that the Biden temper is for real. It may not be as volcanic as Bill Clinton’s, but it’s definitely there,” said Chris Whipple, who recently authored a book about the Biden White House.
In Whipple’s book, he quotes former Biden Press Secretary Jen Psaki as saying: “I said to [Biden] multiple times, I’ll know we have a really good, trusting relationship when you yell at me the first time.” (Sounds a little like Stockholm Syndrome.)
With Joe Biden about to hit the campaign trail, he should be interacting with the press more frequently – which increases the likelihood that he’ll lose his cool while on microphone.
Harrison Kass is the Senior Editor and opinion writer at 19FortyFive. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.
Hot Right Now
‘You Really Oughta Go Home’: F-22 Raptor Stealth Fighter Flew Under F-4 From Iran
