Annie Linskey on New Reporting on Biden: The Wall Around Biden Blocked from the American People the Decline That He Was Experiencing

HUNT You of course ░░░░░░░░ the lead author on ░░░░░░░░ story with your colleagues ░░░░░░░░ talked to over 50 ░░░░░░░░ for this story Tell ░░░░░░░░ a little bit more ░░░░░░░░ what you learned LINSKEY ░░░░░░░░ well we were going ░░░░░░░░ to get a sense ░░░░░░░░ every you know every ░░░░░░░░ House is set up ░░░░░░░░ to take into consideration ░░░░░░░░ strengths and weaknesses of ░░░░░░░░ leader in charge And ░░░░░░░░ this case there s ░░░░░░░░ leader who is aging ░░░░░░░░ visibly right in front ░░░░░░░░ our eyes And so ░░░░░░░░ we found is that ░░░░░░░░ shell around Biden was ░░░░░░░░ of always heard but ░░░░░░░░ harder and thicker and ░░░░░░░░ walls became taller And ░░░░░░░░ system that was set ░░░░░░░░ even his critics would ░░░░░░░░ enabled him to make ░░░░░░░░ that needed to be ░░░░░░░░ and to govern effectively ░░░░░░░░ that that wall also ░░░░░░░░ from view and from ░░░░░░░░ American people the decline ░░░░░░░░ he was experiencing HUNT ░░░░░░░░ write a little bit ░░░░░░░░ the kind of information ░░░░░░░░ was getting through to ░░░░░░░░ president especially as he ░░░░░░░░ making his decision about ░░░░░░░░ he was going to ░░░░░░░░ for re election What ░░░░░░░░ you learn about that ░░░░░░░░ how do you think ░░░░░░░░ impacted that decision which ░░░░░░░░ could be why you ░░░░░░░░ Donald Trump is coming ░░░░░░░░ to the White House ░░░░░░░░ Yes I mean you ░░░░░░░░ as he was going ░░░░░░░░ his presidency there were ░░░░░░░░ who told us that ░░░░░░░░ wouldn t always get ░░░░░░░░ press clippings So if ░░░░░░░░ had made a gaffe ░░░░░░░░ an event the clippings ░░░░░░░░ sort of focus on ░░░░░░░░ gaffe would be not ░░░░░░░░ And you d have ░░░░░░░░ go to kind of ░░░░░░░░ lengths to find a ░░░░░░░░ that didn t include ░░░░░░░░ gaffe So he was ░░░░░░░░ always seeing that Or ░░░░░░░░ over the summer he ░░░░░░░░ t talking to his ░░░░░░░░ This is sort of ░░░░░░░░ key thing that most ░░░░░░░░ do and that Joe ░░░░░░░░ did HUNT Most presidents ░░░░░░░░ obsessed with it LINSKEY ░░░░░░░░ with And HUNT Like ░░░░░░░░ And you know he ░░░░░░░░ getting this information filtered ░░░░░░░░ his senior staff So ░░░░░░░░ s a there was ░░░░░░░░ wall around him And ░░░░░░░░ know in many ways ░░░░░░░░ his presidency it it ░░░░░░░░ but it did prevent ░░░░░░░░ from getting a variety ░░░░░░░░ points of views that ░░░░░░░░ t coming through just ░░░░░░░░ key staffers who he ░░░░░░░░ and who would spend ░░░░░░░░ lot of time with ░░░░░░░░ HUNT Yes Kate Bedingfield ░░░░░░░░ realize this is a ░░░░░░░░ position for you because ░░░░░░░░ were inside the White ░░░░░░░░ during some period of ░░░░░░░░ time What Annie s ░░░░░░░░ outlines is that some ░░░░░░░░ these measures around protecting ░░░░░░░░ president started a lot ░░░░░░░░ than maybe some expected ░░░░░░░░ I mean the pullout ░░░░░░░░ Afghanistan was 2021 I ░░░░░░░░ what light can you ░░░░░░░░ on what was going ░░░░░░░░ inside the White House ░░░░░░░░ this time BEDINGFIELD Well ░░░░░░░░ think a couple things ░░░░░░░░ of all complaints about ░░░░░░░░ getting enough access to ░░░░░░░░ president are as old ░░░░░░░░ the republic I mean ░░░░░░░░ of Congress are constantly ░░░░░░░░ about not getting access ░░░░░░░░ the president I mean ░░░░░░░░ is a time honored ░░░░░░░░ that people have when ░░░░░░░░ feel like they have ░░░░░░░░ they have political perspective ░░░░░░░░ should be shared So ░░░░░░░░ think we should maintain ░░░░░░░░ perspective because it is ░░░░░░░░ know there s always ░░░░░░░░ HUNT Well they write ░░░░░░░░ for example the House ░░░░░░░░ Services chairman during the ░░░░░░░░ pullout which is BEDINGFIELD ░░░░░░░░ my experience so I ░░░░░░░░ the second thing I ░░░░░░░░ going to say HUNT ░░░░░░░░ BEDINGFIELD I was there ░░░░░░░░ the Afghanistan withdrawal I ░░░░░░░░ hours and hours in ░░░░░░░░ Situation Room with Joe ░░░░░░░░ and the national security ░░░░░░░░ during the withdrawal My ░░░░░░░░ was that he was ░░░░░░░░ from all quarters Now ░░░░░░░░ is true that there ░░░░░░░░ again there will members ░░░░░░░░ Congress who I m ░░░░░░░░ didn t feel like ░░░░░░░░ got enough access because ░░░░░░░░ what the president s ░░░░░░░░ in moments of crisis ░░░░░░░░ and every day but ░░░░░░░░ moments of crisis is ░░░░░░░░ information filtering it in ░░░░░░░░ to make a principled ░░░░░░░░ effective decision based on ░░░░░░░░ input of the core ░░░░░░░░ around him Hearing from ░░░░░░░░ single person in Washington ░░░░░░░░ has a perspective can ░░░░░░░░ be muddying and damaging ░░░░░░░░ confusing So I don ░░░░░░░░ I don t doubt ░░░░░░░░ certainly don t dispute ░░░░░░░░ there were people who ░░░░░░░░ like they didn t ░░░░░░░░ the opportunity to weigh ░░░░░░░░ when they wanted to ░░░░░░░░ in and of itself ░░░░░░░░ not an indicator to ░░░░░░░░ of a diminished Joe ░░░░░░░░ I watched the president ░░░░░░░░ his national security team ░░░░░░░░ the generals who were ░░░░░░░░ the ground every single ░░░░░░░░ during that withdrawal And ░░░░░░░░ was never a moment ░░░░░░░░ he was not getting ░░░░░░░░ hard information and making ░░░░░░░░ hard decision LINSKEY I ░░░░░░░░ the difference here though ░░░░░░░░ our reporting showed that ░░░░░░░░ are some of the ░░░░░░░░ who might have been ░░░░░░░░ have been grilling him ░░░░░░░░ saying is this right ░░░░░░░░ this this is why ░░░░░░░░ should look at this ░░░░░░░░ is why you should ░░░░░░░░ at this piece of ░░░░░░░░ or this piece of ░░░░░░░░ And that s the ░░░░░░░░ that was lacking according ░░░░░░░░ our reporting And I ░░░░░░░░ say it went beyond ░░░░░░░░ of Congress The lack ░░░░░░░░ the you know in ░░░░░░░░ and regular interactions with ░░░░░░░░ Yellen was also something ░░░░░░░░ was eye opening to ░░░░░░░░ as we were reporting ░░░░░░░░ out And even you ░░░░░░░░ a sort of drop ░░░░░░░░ in interactions with Lloyd ░░░░░░░░ as you re talking ░░░░░░░░ a period of time ░░░░░░░░ there s Gaza is ░░░░░░░░ Ukraine is happening So ░░░░░░░░ s just this idea ░░░░░░░░ as the president was ░░░░░░░░ older a wall that ░░░░░░░░ just getting bigger HUNT ░░░░░░░░ I mean Kate would ░░░░░░░░ dispute the idea that ░░░░░░░░ White House had to ░░░░░░░░ arrangements to deal with ░░░░░░░░ fact that Biden was ░░░░░░░░ I mean I think ░░░░░░░░ think for a lot ░░░░░░░░ Americans who watch what ░░░░░░░░ happened right I mean ░░░░░░░░ had all of these ░░░░░░░░ people saying to them ░░░░░░░░ s fine it s ░░░░░░░░ it s fine And ░░░░░░░░ he steps onto that ░░░░░░░░ stage and it s ░░░░░░░░ not fine and people ░░░░░░░░ lied to BEDINGFIELD I ░░░░░░░░ there are two I ░░░░░░░░ there are two issues ░░░░░░░░ is the communications issue ░░░░░░░░ he clearly was diminished ░░░░░░░░ I mean the world ░░░░░░░░ the debate He was ░░░░░░░░ struggling to communicate I ░░░░░░░░ the public demands of ░░░░░░░░ a successful presidential campaign ░░░░░░░░ communicating effectively were clearly ░░░░░░░░ and ultimately led him ░░░░░░░░ drop out and determine ░░░░░░░░ he couldn t do ░░░░░░░░ That doesn t mean ░░░░░░░░ he is not capable ░░░░░░░░ making the decisions of ░░░░░░░░ the information of debating ░░░░░░░░ team internally Those are ░░░░░░░░ different things Now obviously ░░░░░░░░ order to successfully run ░░░░░░░░ president and be re ░░░░░░░░ you have to be ░░░░░░░░ to do both So ░░░░░░░░ m not arguing that ░░░░░░░░ wasn t a you ░░░░░░░░ a deficit there HUNT ░░░░░░░░ BEDINGFIELD There obviously was ░░░░░░░░ you know again I ░░░░░░░░ can t speak to ░░░░░░░░ left the White House ░░░░░░░░ March of 2023 I ░░░░░░░░ t speak to what ░░░░░░░░ day to day internal ░░░░░░░░ were like after I ░░░░░░░░ But I can tell ░░░░░░░░ from the time that ░░░░░░░░ was there that he ░░░░░░░░ he was engaged He ░░░░░░░░ asking tough questions He ░░░░░░░░ engaging in back and ░░░░░░░░ He was meeting with ░░░░░░░░ Yellen meeting with Secretary ░░░░░░░░ getting the PDB That ░░░░░░░░ I didn t I ░░░░░░░░ t witness that s ░░░░░░░░ what I witnessed TAUSCHE ░░░░░░░░ we re in this ░░░░░░░░ now where we re ░░░░░░░░ on private recountings of ░░░░░░░░ this went because we ░░░░░░░░ t seen President Biden ░░░░░░░░ much publicly as we ░░░░░░░░ other presidents I mean ░░░░░░░░ the G 20 it ░░░░░░░░ his first major summit ░░░░░░░░ his entire presidency where ░░░░░░░░ did not have a ░░░░░░░░ conference Reporters were told ░░░░░░░░ there would be opportunities ░░░░░░░░ engage with him organically ░░░░░░░░ simply were not HUNT ░░░░░░░░ Let me pause you ░░░░░░░░ one second because I ░░░░░░░░ wanted to play something ░░░░░░░░ ask you about it ░░░░░░░░ was a moment on ░░░░░░░░ Save America which is ░░░░░░░░ coalition of former Obama ░░░░░░░░ not necessarily Biden the ░░░░░░░░ team s best friends ░░░░░░░░ Not always HUNT But ░░░░░░░░ s what they had ░░░░░░░░ say basically accusing the ░░░░░░░░ president of quiet quitting ░░░░░░░░ starts UNKNOWN MALE I ░░░░░░░░ the recognition that maybe ░░░░░░░░ aren t willing to ░░░░░░░░ from him is understandable ░░░░░░░░ he might think that ░░░░░░░░ The party thing I ░░░░░░░░ is not true because ░░░░░░░░ don t know what ░░░░░░░░ you guys think he ░░░░░░░░ be doing UNKNOWN MALE ░░░░░░░░ quitting UNKNOWN MALE Yes ░░░░░░░░ think that s what ░░░░░░░░ re getting UNKNOWN MALE ░░░░░░░░ yes UNKNOWN MALE That ░░░░░░░░ that seems to be ░░░░░░░░ he is doing UNKNOWN ░░░░░░░░ Yes Oh instead Yes ░░░░░░░░ it Clip ends HUNT ░░░░░░░░ mean pretty tough but ░░░░░░░░ the point that you ░░░░░░░░ making the President Biden ░░░░░░░░ seem to be stepping ░░░░░░░░ the stage even though ░░░░░░░░ is still president TAUSCHE ░░░░░░░░ I mean he it ░░░░░░░░ have the distinct feeling ░░░░░░░░ going out like a ░░░░░░░░ instead of like a ░░░░░░░░ And I think some ░░░░░░░░ the scant interactions with ░░░░░░░░ press are are indicative ░░░░░░░░ that Clearly we would ░░░░░░░░ there to be more ░░░░░░░░ similar to there HUNT ░░░░░░░░ TAUSCHE There are always ░░░░░░░░ complaints from members of ░░░░░░░░ press ph We would ░░░░░░░░ like more interaction HUNT ░░░░░░░░ evergreen statement TAUSCHE That ░░░░░░░░ said it does feel ░░░░░░░░ that there has been ░░░░░░░░ little interaction and so ░░░░░░░░ that we ve heard ░░░░░░░░ him publicly But also ░░░░░░░░ the point of members ░░░░░░░░ Congress Kate I mean ░░░░░░░░ talking to people who ░░░░░░░░ in contact with members ░░░░░░░░ Congress in the wake ░░░░░░░░ that disastrous debate where ░░░░░░░░ were trying to shore ░░░░░░░░ support from the party ░░░░░░░░ lot of members of ░░░░░░░░ said we haven t ░░░░░░░░ him in a year ░░░░░░░░ some cases 18 months ░░░░░░░░ can t come to ░░░░░░░░ defense because we simply ░░░░░░░░ t had an audience ░░░░░░░░ them And so in ░░░░░░░░ moment it was really ░░░░░░░░ to him and for ░░░░░░░░ remainder of his term ░░░░░░░░ his re election bid ░░░░░░░░ not have had those ░░░░░░░░ in that moment Now ░░░░░░░░ mean there are real ░░░░░░░░ concerns based on the ░░░░░░░░ politically Would the White ░░░░░░░░ love to have another ░░░░░░░░ dinner Yes Do any ░░░░░░░░ leaders want to come ░░░░░░░░ be there with him ░░░░░░░░ I mean would he ░░░░░░░░ loved to have funding ░░░░░░░░ the cancer moonshot extended ░░░░░░░░ part of this package ░░░░░░░░ Is that where Congress ░░░░░░░░ No So there s ░░░░░░░░ real political dynamic to ░░░░░░░░ of this too that ░░░░░░░░ impacting it HUNT Yes ░░░░░░░░ But it s because ░░░░░░░░ the outcome of the ░░░░░░░░ too HUNT Interesting Brad ░░░░░░░░ want the last word ░░░░░░░░ Well it s a ░░░░░░░░ s a deeply reported ░░░░░░░░ by Annie and a ░░░░░░░░ story But I will ░░░░░░░░ note that conservatives and ░░░░░░░░ lot of people in ░░░░░░░░ conservative press were saying ░░░░░░░░ of these things in ░░░░░░░░ time and it was ░░░░░░░░ off I think maybe ░░░░░░░░ the White House press ░░░░░░░░ was not inquisitive enough ░░░░░░░░ see Joe Biden s ░░░░░░░░ in real time HUNT ░░░░░░░░ certainly we all learned ░░░░░░░░ lot on the debate ░░░░░░░░ in Atlanta And obviously ░░░░░░░░ we are now.”