On Saturday, President Biden rudely hushed a reporter who was interrupting him, as he answered a question about the debt ceiling crisis, at a meeting with Prime Minister Albanese. Critics called out Biden for telling a reporter to "shush up" while he was in a meeting at the latest G7 summit in Japan.
These same critics also claimed that if former President Donald Trump had said that to reporters, he would have been vilified in the press. Several wrote commenting on Biden’s disrespectful behavior. Annoyed Twitter users slammed Biden as condescending.
During the meeting, the room was full of reporters. Biden was answering one reporter’s questions and then literally silenced another in a condescending and demeaning tone, who was insisting on asking more. Reportedly Biden was first asked "Mr. President, how concerned are you about the debt talks at home?" To which Biden replied cordially saying-
"Not at all." [Adding regarding the budget process], "This goes in stages. I’ve been in these negotiations before."
-President Joe Biden
There was however, another reporter who interrupted him several times trying to get in a question, by calling his title, to get his attention saying… "Mr. President," and again, "Mr. President –".
Biden, apparently annoyed by the interruption, sat up in his chair, squinted at the reporter, and flatly said-
"Shush up, okay?" [and with a wry smile added] "Thank you."
-President Joe Biden
On Twitter, Biden’s critics caught the moment and accused Biden of getting "fresh" with the reporter. One such person was Karen Townsend, Hot Air contributing editor who suggested that if Trump had this reaction, he would have been condemned in the media.
Bonchie, a RedState writer, made a similar point, reminding viewers of Jim Acosta, the times CNN reporter, that used to berate Trump deliberately during press conferences, so he could complain about being victimized by the former president. This often occurred when Trump would get frustrated in responding to him.
Biden’s behavior is however characteristic of his general responses. All anyone has to do is look at the plethora of news interviews that Biden, has given which demonstrate his form of especially crass and disrespectful communication. He is annoyed easily and his age doesn’t help. He snaps easily. Disrespect is his standard, not the exception, whereas Trump could be pushed into being upset over word jousting.
With Biden, this communication style is standard fair. His condescending tone seems to be his hallmark at this point, if you don’t count his word salads, constant confabulations or outright lies, and/or very weird descriptions of memories he recounts. All together he has a problem respectfully addressing anyone who doesn’t treat him with kid gloves. It is likely why the White House protects him in public speech at all times. Not a positive attribute, for an over 80-year-old man running for the highest office in the land.
“If you disrespect everybody that you run into, how in the world do you think everybody’s supposed to respect you?”
-Aretha Franklin