In efforts to save face after his “bad debate” against former President Trump, Joe Biden is speaking to the media more than usual. Recently, his interview at a Philadelphia radio station led to a Black radio host losing her job.
Andrea Lawful-Sanders, host of “The Source,” has parted ways with WURD, a Black-owned radio station in Philadelphia, only days after her well-publicized interview with President Biden.
According to WURD, prior to their July 4 interview, the Biden campaign sent Sanders 8 suggested questions, of which she chose 4 to ask the president. “The questions were sent to me for approval. I approved them,” she said during an interview with CNN.
WURD CEO, Sara M. Lomax, said this “violates our practice of remaining an independent media outlet accountable to our listeners.” WURD is the only Black-owned radio station in the Philadelphia area. Lomax said the station aims to be politically neutral in its role as an important source of news for Black people in the city.
She continued “WURD Radio is not a mouthpiece for the Biden or any other Administration.”
Interestingly, Sanders wasn’t the only radio host the Biden campaign sent questions to last week. Earl Ingram of “The Earl Ingram Show” in Wisconsin also interviewed the president and said he was sent 5 questions by the Biden campaign before their July 3 interview.
During an interview with Ingram and Sanders, CNN’s Victor Blackwell revealed both hosts asked the president similar questions about the debate, his accomplishments, and hesitant voters. Blackwell said “If the White House is trying now to prove the vim, vigor … of the president, I don’t know how they do that by sending questions first before the interview so that the president knows what’s coming.”
In response to this scandal, a Biden campaign spokesman wrote in a statement: “It’s not at all an uncommon practice for interviewees to share topics they would prefer. These questions were relevant to the news of the day,” Lauren Hitt said. “Americans have had several opportunities to see him unscripted since the debate.” The Biden campaign later said they would stop sending pre-approved questions to media.
A Trump campaign spokesman called out President Biden’s actions in a statement to CNN saying: “Joe Biden and his campaign are bullying media into asking pre-screened and approved questions and trying to pass it off like it’s normal behavior. It’s not.”
This comes just days after Trump declined an interview with a Virginia news station after asking for questions in advance. Clearly, the first presidential debate still has both Trump and Biden on edge. During his media run, Biden insists he will remain in the running for president, despite many voters calling for him to drop out.