The Republican National Committee is sharing a video of President Biden in which he ignores questions shouted at him from a crowd that includes reporters. Biden is accompanied by First Lady Jill Biden, who steps toward the President and ushers him out of the crowd.
The President and First Lady were headed toward a Lunar New Year celebration at the White House where the president would address the “hate” and “loss” experienced by the Asian community in America, an especially poignant recognition in the wake of the tragic mass shooting in Monterey Park, Los Angeles, CA, which took the lives of eleven people.
On the video, reporters yell two questions at Biden. First, he’s asked if he’ll allow the FBI to search his Rehoboth, Delaware home? (Biden is currently under investigation, like Donald Trump and Mike Pence, for his handling of classified documents.)
Second, Biden is asked if he’ll meet with Kevin McCarthy, the newly elected Speaker of the House. Biden responds only with his face, no words.
REPORTER: "Will you allow the FBI to search your Rehoboth Beach home?"
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 26, 2023
Jill Biden gets in the way and ushers Joe along before he answers. pic.twitter.com/fKXQcTyUF5
Is Biden’s response a “blank stare,” as the RNC characterizes it? Or is Biden — on his way to address a group which has just experienced a murderous hate-crime — merely surprised and disgusted that the reporters are shouting these questions at this particular moment?
The “search” question is clearly meant to disturb the proceedings and generate a “media moment.” It is not designed to receive an answer in this setting.
Biden, being not just the president but also a lawyer, knows the question has little merit. If the FBI wants to search Biden’s house, they don’t need his permission. That much is clear from the case of Donald Trump, in which the FBI raided Trump’s residence to retrieve documents the former President wouldn’t relinquish.
Whether Biden is reacting to these questions with surprise and disgust, or with a “blank stare,” is probably — like most things now — to be determined by which side of the aisle one views it from.
