Biden takes on a rare challenge: a solo news conference
CNN
President Joe Biden will hold a closely watched news conference on Thursday, marking another high-stakes moment for the president to show off his ability to answer questions in an unscripted setting.
President Joe Biden will hold a closely watched news conference on Thursday, marking another high-stakes moment for the president to show off his skill in answering questions in an unscripted setting. The appearance will come at the conclusion of a critical NATO summit where foreign diplomats will have a front row seat to observe his ability to lead on the global stage. Biden has held a historically low number of news conferences compared to his most recent predecessors – and has been encouraged by his top allies to lean into more “off-the-cuff,” casual moments in the aftermath of last month’s debate performance. When he takes the podium Thursday evening, it will be just the 15th time Biden has held a solo news conference, and the first time since November 2023 – an engagement that ran 21 minutes. His average solo news conference has been roughly 37 minutes long. There is a possibility that the strategy telegraphed by his team to accelerate the president’s schedule and spontaneous engagements will not have its desired outcome. But in recent days, Biden’s team has leaned into their plans with stops at a church and campaign office in Philadelphia, a community event and a coffee shop in Harrisburg, a 22-minute interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos and an 18-minute call-in to MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” Biden’s team is already looking ahead to the next unscripted engagement, teasing an interview with NBC News’ Lester Holt set for Monday. Despite the unscripted plans, Biden and his team have previously sought to control what he’s asked when.
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