President Biden refused to take reporter questions at a St. Patrick’s Day meeting with visiting Irish leader Leo Varadkar.
The media duck came despite press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre a day earlier attempting to quell a reporter outcry over the lack of a joint press conference by saying Biden might do so.
The 80-year-old president smiled and raised his eyebrows as he ignored shouted questions in the Oval Office while sitting alongside Varadkar — as press wranglers bellowed “Thank you so much!” and “Please follow this way.”
Without a formal press conference, Varadkar, whose title taoiseach is equivalent to the role of prime minister, was left to talk to reporters on the White House driveway — a less dignified venue than the East Room or Rose Garden, where US presidents typically host visiting heads of state for press conferences.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva also spoke with reporters on the White House driveway on Feb. 10 when Biden similarly declined to host a joint press conference.
Read more at https://nypost.com/2023/03/17/biden-ducks-questions-after-media-revolt-on-no-st-paddys-presser/
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